The Gift of Giving

I’ve been thinking about gifts a lot lately, obviously because of what time of year it is. This is something I really wanted to write about, but I’ve been spending so much time with family as of late, I haven’t had much time for writing.

I have some fond memories of opening or receiving gifts. I remember exploding with happiness and joy, one year when I was around 11-12. I had just unwrapped a Game boy! I had really wanted one so bad. Can you imagine, playing black and white (actually, I guess it was kind of greenish) Tetris in the palm of your hands! (Yes, I’m a bit of a geek at times) It was so amazing. I can see any young people reading this rolling their eyes, but this was really cutting edge technology. It’s nothing compared to today’s technology, but back in my day, HOLY COW!

Or the time my Dad got a basketball hoop and hung it on our garage. Finally, I could shoot hoops as much as I wanted. One year, my Dad had some new asphalt laid on the driveway, which included in front of the garage. It was a brand new court, no more bouncing the ball on a random rock and shooting off in a different direction. The pavement was a thing of beauty.

I remember one birthday, maybe around the age of 11, I spent almost the whole day volunteering. I came home just for a little bit, barely had any times for presents or cake. I remember going to bed that night, thinking it was my best birthday ever. (I do remember getting Mario Bros 2 for NES, which was awesome until I realized Nintendo pulled a fast one on everyone, and it wasn’t a true Mario game). Maybe at this point, I had received a glimpse of giving?

By this point, I was on board with giving. I was married and wanted to give whatever I could to my wife and make her happy. We started having kids and I wanted to give them whatever I could and make them happy. I was a giving pro or at least I thought (legend in my own mind again).

As it turns out, it’s actually quite easy to give things to children and they get happy and excited. What about adults?!?! Try to give something to an adult and have them radiate happiness and joy.

Throughout my life, I’ve heard the saying, “you can’t actually give anything away.” I thought, “that’s nice”, without understanding. Within the last 5-8 years, I think I finally have understanding and that increases every year. I’m a believer.

As it turns out (Again!), it’s actually the person who is giving, who is the one who is benefiting the most!

Wow, what a lesson, and I don’t think it’s a lesson that everyone learns. I’m not sure if I’m reaching an age that has some wisdom that comes with it (I still have a long way to go in the wisdom department, maybe by 80 I’ll be wise?) or it’s part of my cancer-university (growth) or what? Of course it helps to have some givers in my life that I can observe. Maybe in another 10 years I will finally get it completely.

I think people who just buy everything that they want for themselves, because they can or don’t care to take the time to give, are the ones who are really missing out. I find that a shame for them and actually pity them.

True giving, taking the time to think about, find, buy or make a gift and have it be something that brings happiness or joy to a person, is something special for the giver. They are the ones who get that good feeling in their chest, that true happiness radiating from and around their heart.

And if you want to talk about true happiness, try volunteering or giving your time to someone in need and receive a (golden) genuine “thank you” in return. Holy cow! That’s something that nurtures your soul.

Of course, you don’t always give or get what (they) you wanted. It’s probably not possible 100% of the time. Perhaps, it’s more about the energy or the wanting to give, that comes with a gift, than whatever the gift actually is. That’s maybe what’s actually important.

I can’t speak for my parents and the game boy, but I have a feeling, as with when Cranky the crane entered ours lives, that my wife and I were the real winners that day. As my years, holidays, birthdays and anniversaries go by, it’s more important for me to give than it is to get, because I’m the lucky one in the end, who receives the Gift of Giving.