Wednesday, December 26, 2007

the gift that keeps on giving

Yesterday my wife opened nothing from me, and I opened nothing from her. This was by agreement. In some years past, we made the same agreement, but someone, usually me, broke the agreement and bought a gift for the other.

This year, she got nothin. I got nothin. And you know what, it didn't bother me a bit. In fact, I have a very interesting feeling about the whole thing. I feel like, "I don't need" a gift from her. I feel this way because life with someone that you care about is a gift all the time.

This is not just a husband-wife phenomenon, it is true of good friends as well. There are people that don't need to give you anything, because they give all year long. I am fortunate to know many people like this. Just knowing them is a gift.

I believe that we have the ability to bring out the best or the worst in others. When we care about them, it tends to make them care about us. "The lover creates the love." When you pour out goodness and grace to others, it usually tends to come back your way.

I want to thank all of you for the gift that you are to me.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I actually was frustrated that my husband got me a gift that rang of "last minute gotta get her something". He thought I was upset that there weren't enough gifts for me (I REALLY didn't care). I had a hard time conveying that it wasn't about the "stuff", but about the apparent lack of thought and consideration. Yet, later Christmas day he told me that he got his best gift ever on the day he married me. And I knew he meant it. THAT was MY best gift ever. It's not about the "stuff". I have my best gift everyday in a man who makes real effort to be the best husband and father. I think we'll vow to no more "stuff"--just an appreciation and acknowledgement of that everyday gift we sometimes take for granted.

TW

InkyLynne said...

I saw this quote this morning and thought you would enjoy it:
"What we do for ourselves dies with us.
What we do for others lives on through eternity."
--Albert Pines