Spirit of Giving

December 25, 2009

It’s a cold morning. Outside my window, the frozen aspen branches frame a snow covered pasture where cows roam in summer. But for now, the field is a frozen, barren space.

Inside, my house is quiet on this Christmas morning. Gifts will be opened once my daughter, a college senior, wakes up. Until then, I’m enjoying the silence of Christmas morning, and this has given me the opportunity to reflect upon the spirit of giving.

When I was young, the most exciting part of Christmas was opening up the presents. Would I get the new Barbie I wanted? Or maybe some cool toy that I hadn’t ever heard of? Later I would hope for clothes or jewelry. Now, I’ve realized that the best part of giving is extending myself to others.

In the past week, I visited three friends after work, had a phone conversation with another who lives two states over, and received emails, texts and greetings over social media with other friends. The spirit of giving means taking the time to be fully present in our lives and connect with our friends and family.

In our hectic worlds, it’s a challenge to slow down and make time for people. I know I’m guilty of this. Unless someone works with me or shares my current interests, they’re not a regular part of my world. My time is devoted to achieving whatever goal I’ve established for myself.

These have ranged from running half marathons, preparing for a bicycle tour, writing my book, and advancing my career. Nowhere in my long list of goals have I ever considered adding connecting with friends as part of my allocation of time.

Success has its rewards. And I realize that there are only so many hours in the day. But if I devoted just a few hours a week to friends, would that really derail my plans?

I’ve also am guilty of condensed connections: quick emails, a text message, or a reply to a post on Facebook. I have yet to respond to a letter sent from my 91-year-old aunt. I saw her for four days this summer. This was the first time in nine years that I had visited her. And when a person is over 90, the world takes on a different pace. We spent our time talking about memories of family members, catching up on latest happenings, reading, doing some chores, and eating meals together. Her world was rarely interrupted by phone and never by email, texts or social media connections. I left her house feeling the warmth of truly connecting with someone I love.

Maybe I can try this same approach on this Christmas day. I’ll slow down just a little. When my daughter is awake, we can spend some time together just talking. I’ll be patient as my sister tells me stories I’ve heard time and time again. Maybe the best gift I can share is my time and attention.

Merry Christmas!

Posted by Nancy Brook | Filed Under Uncategorized | 2 Comments