Do you know people who are just great gift givers?

One of my friends gave me an awesome purple necklace.   Well, it’s a wrap bracelet and I’m totally inept at fastening it, so I wear it as a necklace.  It’s unique in presentation as one observant individual noted- “The beads’ spacing is off.”  Yes, it is.  It’s a morse code bracelet!  The message is “Kindness is my religion.”  The necklet (new word!) itself is funky but I doubt it was selected for me based upon color and unique concept alone.  This person KNEW me.  The fact that SHE selected THIS expression for ME brought us that much closer together.  Do you ever feel that you try and try and try but…no one sees you?  I felt seen.

Another friend gave me a “just because” gift.  She repurposed an empty glass jar of sour balls that I had given to her.  (To be clear, there were sour balls in them when I gave them to her.  But, I’m not bitter…)  The inside of the jar was sweet.  Notes.  Lots and lots of notes.  Morsels for me to chew on.  I was supposed to pull out one at a time, from time to time.  Nuh-uh!  Not me.  I poured them out like a waterfall of love and was moved to tears at their creativity.   Tonight, I randomly pulled out five.  The “…” are to maintain some mystery.  (Plus, I hope she will transform them into a feel good book.  And dedicate it to me.  Because.)

“Rock out to ‘Mahna Mahna’…goofball.”  “Stop on a random line of a favorite book…finish the thought any way you’d like.”  “You are ahead of your time…forgive them.”  “Write about it…for three minutes…You go now!”  “I love you.  That is all.”

That is all?  Are you kidding me?  That’s everything!  It’s a jar of love.  Someone who knows me, someone who sees me, someone who gets me?  Do you ever feel like it would be so much better if someone just got you?

Two different gifts.  One purchased, one homemade.  One selected with intention.  One designed with it.  Both reflect with such clarity how much “got” I am.  (Yes, grammar police.  I get that ain’t right.)  I can’t help but wonder how the depth with which I get myself helped my friends to get me.  Kindness IS my practice and words ARE my passion.  A gift I hope to give myself is an openness to share them with others without fear of judgement.

It’s wonderful for others to get me…but I’ve got to get myself if I want to be a great giver.