It's bad enough in life to do without something you want; but confound it, what gets my goat is not being able to give somebody something you want them to have.
Truman Capote
A Christmas Memory
And isn't that the beautiful truth?
Over the numerous Christmas celebrations I was a part of, I thought a great deal about graciousness. What it means to bestow and how it feels to receive. Accepting gifts is much more complicated than giving them for so many myself included, but I find that the most generous among us do so with ease and appreciation. And I'm not just talking about saying thank you although we don't always get that either. As we mature, the tendency is to want to be the giver, but every time we graciously receive we are being most generous. At the end of the day whether the gift is grand or the gift is a gesture, it truly is the thought that counts. I believe that's why my Dad's favorite gift was the bench scraper Miss Bit gave him for his kitchen. It wasn't expensive monetarily, but the thought made him feel rich. It said, I know who you are and what you value. I know you love to cook, and I love it when you cook for me. Plus it was from his favorite granddaughter.
My brother in law is the biggest kid at Christmas, and an enthusiastic receiver. He is known to don every stitch of clothing he receives and to make everything he receives somehow wearable. We tease and joke, but secretly I think he has the right idea.
My cousin put together a video of old family pictures. The cost was minimal minus her time, but it was priceless. It was one of my favorite gifts this year. And I had many favorites this year. Just for the record, I loved most everything I received with a capital L and I hope that the givers felt my gratitude .
