No, it is not a spelling mistake and, yes, I love to give and get the actual presents as much as anyone. This Blessed time of year is indeed a time to rejoice in the blessings that fill our lives as well as our closets and cupboards. The first Christmas was the ultimate gift from God to his children on earth and has been represented by loving offerings ever since. Sometimes though, I wonder if the gift of ourselves is the one that can mean the most. It is very easy to shop the malls (well not if you hate crowds) but the act of making ourselves available to those we love and care for can open us to a joy that cannot be purchased with the swipe of a card. Maybe this year we can wrap up: time to talk, time to remember, time to plan, time to dream, time to forgive, and time to reconnect with those, whose lives like ours, can be so consumed with the daily minutiae of modern living. Samuel Johnson noted that " To improve the golden moment of opportunity and to catch the good that is within our reach, is the great art of life." May we open ourselves to this golden moment and may its light illuminate not just our Christmas but the whole year to come. Do you think it's possible?
It reminds me of an Woody Gutherie song that the kids used to sing in kindergarten:
ReplyDelete"I'm gonna wrap myself in paper
I'm gonna dot myself with glue
Stick some stamps on top of my head
I'm gonna mail myself to you"
Imagine the earnest little voices singing that song and (your right) what better gift to give than ourselves.