It's giving season. We give thanks and gifts and help and cheer. But this month I would like to talk about receiving.
Can you raise your hand and say that you are someone who receives graciously? I'm working on this. Asking for help is not something I do easily or lightly. And accepting, or receiving help, gifts, praise, thanks, has always come with difficulty as well. I am getting better, with practice, and it's important because, not only is "no man an island," but as someone in a recent meeting so astutely noted: If you accept a gift from someone, including assistance, you are respecting their wish to give.
Giving and receiving are reciprocal. If we are so willing to give, why are we so unwilling to also receive? Why should we be alone in knowing the joy of giving to someone in need, or just simply out of appreciation or love?
Recently I have been practicing being a gracious recipient. This began with the simple, "You're welcome," in response to someone's gift of "thank you." And over the past several months, a couple friends and colleagues have just simply sent a little money to my account, knowing undoubtedly I've accrued debt not being able to work a "real" job while traveling back and forth to Maine for my family, but also undoubtedly because they wanted to give to someone they appreciate, to someone whose value in this world they recognize. And let's be honest: When we don't get caught in the trap of giving because we feel we must, but because we wish to do so, giving, well, gives back with good feelings.
So, in this giving season, think about how and how much you want to give- truly want to give, without feeling compelled to do so. And imagine when a gift or offer of help comes your way, that the person giving to you is feeling the same wish to give, just to give. Because giving gives back.
I'm grateful to be blessed to receive gifts and offers from the people around me, and I am grateful to be blessed by opportunities to give gifts and offers within not only my financial, but my physical means.
Wishing you those same blessings this season.
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