I have found in my own life, I get much more joy out of giving than I do out of receiving. Receiving gifts has always made me feel uncomfortable. I love however, to see the joy on someone’s face when s/he receives a gift unexpectantly.
We have the power and the ability to give gifts daily; gifts that do not cost us a penny. We can give these gifts to family, friends, co-workers, even to strangers. And the wonderful thing is we can give as many gifts in a day as we choose.
My husband’s gift to me most mornings, is a hot cup of coffee served to me in my office as I work. Because of the hours I work, we tend to eat takeout more than I would like to admit. So, my gift to him the past several months, has been a home-made breakfast or lunch. Our favorite gift from our son is a telephone call just to say hello rather than the usual call for help. At a home we lived in previously, we had rose bushes alongside our house. More days, when I would get in my car to leave for work (yes, this was pre-covid), there would be a fresh cut rose on the seat.
Do you have a co-worker that drinks coffee? How about bringing him or her a fresh cup when you go by the break room? See someone struggling on a presentation? How about offering to help with it? Know a co-worker who is going through a difficult time? Can you whip up a batch of cookies or the always welcome, rice krispy treats? We used to have “snack Wednesday” at our office. People would sign up to bring in a treat of some sort – bagels, donuts, brownies – to share with the team. It brought everyone together and lifted our spirits as we chatted for a few minutes over a shared goodie.
What kind of gift could you possible give a stranger that won’t cost money? How about offering to take the cart back for someone who just loaded groceries into their car? Or offering to reach the can they are struggling to get off the top shelf? Could you shovel a neighbor’s driveway or mow a lawn for someone? How about just smiling and saying hello to someone? I used to work in a dreary building where the walls were painted a non-color and there weren’t any windows. It tended to bring people down. I decided one day I was going to smile at everyone I passed and give them the biggest, most sincere smile. I was amazed at the physical transformation that took place in those people just because someone bothered to say hello and smile at them.
Giving little gifts each day isn’t difficult. A smile, a thank you, just being considerate of others. It only takes a small effort, yet it reaps rewards for both parties.
Just for Today, won’t you reach out to someone and give them an unexpected gift?
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
– PSG –
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