Thursday, December 18, 2008

Holi-daze (do I give or do I get)


Tis the season for-giving and for-getting. I think that is what the founders of Christmas must have thought - mid winter is a good time for a festival, the birth of Christ is something to celebrate and if we can all make each other feel appreciated then super-duper.
Somewhere along the years, the third part became associated with gift giving. (i.e. Here is a small token of what you mean to me - gift is given). I think parents lavish gifts on their kids to see their appreciation - Wow Santa got me a ________. I still remember my nephews faces when they unwrapped a box of 25 match box cars - surprise and delight and can't wait to play with it all mixed together. I think everyone wants to feel that feeling at Christmas. I still do.

But I get confused about giving gifts especially to someone I hardly know or to people who seem to have nothing they need or want. "Just give me cash." my mother would say. My father would say "Give more cash than you gave her (my mother)." I once gave them scratch-off lotto tickets - mistake - they wanted winning scratch-off lotto tickets.

I am faced with having to get gifts for a couple of people this year whom I don't know what they want (for under XX dollars). [Yes, I guess there is a price limit on my token of appreciation] Such is the heresy of this holiday.

I want to fore-give everyone (not because of anything they did but because I am in a fore-giving mood) Fore-give is to give before and this is my pre- Christmas gift. I give to you all, my fellow companions on earth, my token of appreciation - which is this mention here, in my sacred place - I love you all and I hope your journey through this life brings you the gift of self-realization (you knowing and loving yourself).

Humble in Your Presence,
Frank

1 comment:

Soulsearcher said...

Merry Christmas, Frank. I love your use of words here: for-giving and for-getting. Unfortunately, I will not be able to present you with my novel. Instead I will just wish you and Bev a Merry Christmas and promise you that I will keep writing.

Hoping that counts for something,
Diane