Gifts

Being that it’s the day before Christmas, I felt that the section on giving from The Prophet was fitting. 

“You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

…

There are those who give little of the much which they have – and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life…

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism…

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding…”

(The Prophet, 24-29)

Gifts are wonderful but I always say that my favorite gift is spending time with someone who shares of themself.  Guards are exhausting and only invite the people around us to be more guarded and when we encounter people who are able to simply be, it is a delight and invites us to put some of our heavy shields down.  It’s the way I hope to be for those in my life.

Brene Brown puts it pretty well too in her book Daring Greatly,

“What we know matters, but who we are matters more. Being rather than knowing requires showing up and letting ourselves be seen. It requires us to dare greatly, to be vulnerable…

Vulnerability isn’t good or bad. It’s not what we call a dark emotion, nor is it always a light, positive experience. Vulnerability is the core of all emotions and feelings. To feel is to be vulnerable. To believe vulnerability is weakness is to believe that feeling is weakness. To foreclose on our emotional life out of a fear that the costs will be too high is to walk away from the very thing that gives purpose and meaning to living…

Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”

And to me, what a gift!