| You're busy checking off the items on your to-do | | | | their gifts are ignored and their feelings are hurt. |
| list. Most of the gifts have been wrapped. And the | | | | The gift of receiving is largely overlooked and |
| holiday cards made it to the post office this | | | | overshadowed by the need to give. While gifts |
| morning. Oh, but you forgot about your | | | | require money and time to purchase, or money, |
| daughter's teacher! And what to take to the | | | | time, and labor to make, the gift of receiving is |
| Smith's annual Christmas Eve get together? And | | | | free and priceless. |
| then the cookies for the school carnival and you | | | | You can't put a price tag on your children's glee |
| used the last of the sugar in yesterday's brownies | | | | seeing your face light up with pleasure when their |
| for the church fund raiser. | | | | candle-made-in-a-milk-carton turns into the finest |
| Then just at the same time that you are trying | | | | glow the season can shine in your direction. |
| to figure out what to wear to the office party, | | | | There's no material value that equates with |
| what should occur? Your two tiny elves run into | | | | friends and acquaintances complimenting your |
| your bedroom loaded down with treasures they | | | | looks, your talent, your friendship. And your |
| made at school, all meant just for you! | | | | spouse's romantic appreciation for who you really |
| But you haven't got the time to stop and pay | | | | are, well, it's all you really wished for, isn't it? And |
| attention. The party's in just an hour. "Put them | | | | yet . . . |
| under the tree," you command, turning back to | | | | And yet it's not too late to make a resolution that |
| your closet, missing the dejection flattening those | | | | this year you will give the gift of receiving, the |
| eager faces that want nothing more than to | | | | precious gift of paying attention to every person |
| please you. | | | | who wants to please you. You needn't gush or |
| You and your spouse make it to the party on | | | | say you like something you don't. But you do |
| time, but when several people there tell you how | | | | have to notice any feelings that arise telling you |
| attractive you look, you don't care because | | | | that you don't deserve all this generosity. You do |
| you're bothered by your kids sulkiness as the two | | | | have to stay on guard against the distractions of |
| of you left the house. You wonder what was | | | | your grocery list or that phone call you forgot to |
| troubling them. | | | | make that want to steal you away precisely at |
| Two days later your darling sweetheart arrives | | | | the time that someone is filling your plate with |
| home from work with a bonus check, setting up | | | | emotionally delicious goodies! |
| a surprise by placing it on your pillow with a note | | | | Why? |
| that says, "To thank you for who you are, this | | | | Because the gift of receiving, the heartfelt "Thank |
| will take us to Paris in the springtime! MUCH LOVE | | | | you" is often difficult to give. We've all been |
| from Your Biggest Fan!" That night you stay up | | | | taught not to be self-centered, to focus on the |
| late to get those dozens and dozens of cookies | | | | other person while remaining modest and humble. |
| baked, so you can drop them off when you take | | | | However, most of us obey those instructions to |
| the kids to school the next day. When you crawl | | | | the point of self-denial. |
| into bed at 1 AM your honey is fast asleep so | | | | But then, ZAP! in one split second you are center |
| you can't turn the light on. You assume that the | | | | stage. And that early teaching rings loud and clear: |
| crinkling paper you lay your head on is some of | | | | "Get rid of it! Pass it off! Don't get caught being |
| your darling partner's last minute office work and | | | | admired, appreciated, or even loved! Who do you |
| throw it on the floor. The next day you have to | | | | think you are?" |
| be told about the surprise and the disappointment | | | | Take the gift of receiving seriously. When you |
| caused because you missed it. | | | | embrace the beauty and generosity of what |
| Gifts galore!!! And no one to receive them. | | | | others give you, you will be changed. And you will |
| The old adage admonishes "'Tis better to give | | | | be changed into a more self-respectful and |
| than to receive." But when the giving lands on | | | | self-loving person. |
| unreceptive hearts, what good is it? In fact, as | | | | What better gift could you give yourself, and |
| our all too familiar tale above makes clear, the | | | | everyone else, than that? |
| excited, observant, appreciative givers find that | | | | |