What determines the value of the gifts we have given and received over the last few days?
I suspect it’s not money.
It’s the thoughtfulness and expressions of love and care that go beyond fulfilling a sense of obligation that touches our heart. Words and deeds that endure and meet us at a deeper place.
These are the gifts that we give each other in our heightened awareness of the gaps that separate us.
And these are the gifts that we finally give to ourselves, knowing that we are far less whole than we thought we were a year ago.
But these aren’t sticking plasters (band-aid) that come off in the wash. Because these gifts are forged in the place of testing, where silver and gold are refined, and they last.
What are the special gifts you have exchanged this week and what more do you want to give?
So far my gifts have been:
- The gift of good endings and how we prepare for the possibilities that might be
- The gift of beautiful space where we tenderly look inside our interior world to create room to grow.
- The gift of contentment that grows without fear and shame, and multiplies its effect through gratitude and joy.
- The gift of wonder in a world that is tired and exhausted, awakening our curiosity and imagination, being open to surprise at being part of something so much bigger than ourselves.
- The gift of being human is the most astonishing gift of all and captured beautifully in Gideon Heugh’s poem You.
~ more to come