The Power of a Gift
Creating a connection between two people can sometimes be an awkward situation. The simple act of giving a gift creates a bond between each other. A gift given freely and accepted by the recipient allows each other to connect in a simple and amazing way. It keeps giving back to you over and over. A sign of love and friendship that lasts forever.
Today, I had the opportunity to give my husband a small gift of a framed picture of myself for his desk. It made him very happy and was a symbol of love. I started thinking of how a gift can create new spaces of tenderness and connection. Why not give small gifts of love every once in a while? I believe it’s a sweet gesture no matter the gift’s size, cost, or content. Giving with your heart is always a good thing.
What If They Don’t Appreciate It?
Thought, imagination, effort and love goes into making a gift, especially one that is given when there is no occasion to do so. Some gifts are given on special anniversaries and holidays, but a gift for no reason seems to be the very best.
Trying to find the right time, or place to give a gift can take time and all the thought behind it will be recognized in the end. But what if it isn’t? What if the recipient blows it off and has no connection to it? Sometimes that can happen too. Our hearts are broken and spirits fall. The act of giving should be done without expectation. You gave the gift from your heart. The relationship can be cherished, or not, between the two people. How the gift is accepted is not your concern. This can turn people against giving, but never harden your heart to that. Give freely and honestly and the reward can be priceless.
I’ve known people who do not like receiving a gift. The act of giving can make them uncomfortable and anxious. We should learn how to receive. That doesn’t mean just material possessions, but also love, compassion, help and tenderness. Why is it so hard to accept these things? Maybe the person has never experienced their value. Some people aren’t taught how to accept love, or we have low self-esteem. The gift is a form of love and it can be difficult to learn this lesson.
How Can I Go About Accepting Love?
Sometimes accepting love comes naturally because we learned the lesson growing up. Love was shown and received from our parents or family. We were conditioned to love. If this wasn’t your story, try giving yourself small gifts of appreciation and recognition. Daily affirmations of love towards yourself can help get you past this. Truly open your heart and realize that you are worthy of love and gifts. Your heart can start to heal and the emotions can be processed the way they should, not coming out sideways and turning into avoidance and fear of the loving process.
Start giving small gifts to friends and love ones. Your inner circle. People you really trust to accept them. Experience the joy in giving and accepting. This can open you up and free the self-talk that inhibits you. That small, still voice that we listen to can be destructive unless we clear our thoughts properly. “Thought Life” is so important. What we think manifests itself in many ways. How we address our hardships and inability to do certain things is important. Don’t let that stop you anymore. Coming from a place of personal power over our fears will give you the strength to allow receiving gifts of love.
What’s the Cost of Not Giving?
The cost of giving can be your time and monetary materials. However, the true cost of not learning how to give affects you tremendously. It’s the cost of not giving love. Learning the concept of giving without expectation frees up our heart. It allows us to learn to give more and receive ten fold.
In our society we have forgotten how to give. In our lives we offer “buy one, get one free”, and expect the others to give monetarily. We offer something for something. If we honor someone with a true gift without expectation, we honor the person completely. It allows us to express our feelings and emotions with a loving heart. I talk a lot about love and the heart, but it’s so important to focus on these things.
The power off giving creates a new space. That space is the sharing of ourselves with another. What more intimate and loving gift can we give? Try giving a gift today. You will reap the rewards.