I shamelessly stole this quote from another blog Artist Reborn
Next to things of necessity, the rule for a gift, which one of my friends prescribed, is that we might convey to some person that which properly belonged to his character, and was easily associated with him in thought. But our tokens of compliment and love are for the most part barbarous.
Rings and other jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself. Thou must bleed for me. Therefore the poet brings his poem; the shepherd, his lamb; the farmer, corn; the miner, a gem; the sailor, coral and shells; the painter, his picture; the girl, a handkercheif of her own sewing.
This is right and pleasing, for it restores society in so far to the primary basis, when a man's biography is conveyed in his gift, and every man's wealth is an index of his merit. But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy me something which does not represent your life and talent, but a goldsmith's. This is fit for kings , and rich men who represent kings, and a false state of property, to make presents of gold and silver stuffs, as a kind of symbolical sin-offering, or payment of blackmail. ~from the essay "Gifts" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Now we all buy gifts from the shop... yes even I... and many of them... but something reasonated with me in this quote..
that I may give a portion of myself...
I need some ideas readers on how to do this without sending myself barmy crafting 24/7 and to think of people who do not like handmade gifts.
I just went to a class for enrichment which was GIFTS versus PRESENTS.
A gift is something that lasts. Taking a friend somewhere, babysitting so a person can go to the temple, going to to temple with a friend, sharing a talent, family history, Sharing dinner, family home evening, and the list goes on
but how do you do this without seeming like you are trying to get out of it.. like you say to a person I will give you this at a later time and then it never happens.. they never redeem it.. possibly thinking you are too busy and didn't really mean it.
So people I need your thoughts on this... how does one give a portion of themselves?
4 comments:
Wow, you are making me think. I love this post. Giving of yourself it all we can do.
My friend and I get together once every other month or so. We meet late at night at my office building. We then walk up the street to the grocery store and go shopping together. It is fun.
We buy a treat for ourselves and then walk back to the office and eat our treat.
It is a fun way to spend time together.
Maybe you could set up some outings with your friends. Give them you time. What do you think? m
This is why my Christmas gifts are usually done by October. Not that I'm ahead of the game but that it takes me the whole year of thinking about the person and what I would like to give them from me. I try to think about their hobbies, their interests, what's happened in their life, etc.
That quote is really true.
Hope many read this then pond.
Enjoy
So glad I gave you a thought worth "swiping"! hehe I love how much that post is making people around the blog world think. And you are right, it is really hard to give gifts of the "time" nature and have someone actually redeem it. Gonna have to ponder this a bit.
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