THE GIFT
A GIFT or a present is an item given to someone without the expectation of payment or anything in return…..By extension the term gift can refer to any item or act of service that makes the other happier…..
Just in case you forget to buy gifts your friendly commercial establishments have provided you with multiple gift giving days as reminders that it is time to buy a gift. I am thinking of Valentine’s Day (The perfect Hallmark Holiday), Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparent’s Day and on and on. Then there are the religious holidays that provide us the opportunity to forget the “real” reason they exist so that we can transform them into opportunities to buy and give gifts. Other words that have altered the idea of giving a gift are: reciprocal, owed, indebted —”The Jones gave us something last year, we owe them.” Somehow all this reminding and reciprocation has obscured the meaning of a gift. We have managed to transform the act of giving into a requirement for friendship or repayment of previous gifts. Gifts do not require a day they only require an unselfish thought.
Receiving gifts has its challenges too. Does it come with an expectation of reciprocation? What did I do wrong or better yet what did they do wrong that requires a gift to forgive? So difficult to just accept that someone or a group merely wanted to acknowledge you with a gift without expectation. A gift of acknowledgement with caring and love.
A few days ago I was presented with a gift as defined above. It was not my birthday, nor father’s day or even Christmas. It was a Tuesday. It was given with love and caring and without expectation. A gift of acknowledgement for all that we had done with and for each other. With an emphasis on what they felt I had given to them over the years. It was truly an incredible gift and one that was a total surprise which made it even more meaningful. The difficulty was acceptance. The tears of emotion arrived instantly as I realized the thought, coordination and effort that had gone into making this special for me. Afterwards I felt proud of myself that I was able to accept this gift from those whom I love so very much without thinking I needed to reciprocate. I received this wonderful gift with gratitude and the understanding that it was given with unconditional love.
Grazie William, Emily, Alex and Kat ——- Con affetto e amore