Gifts thank you Andy

I was given a gift today. Well actually several but one that means much more to me than I can even begin to describe. It was not monetary or wrapped in a box, but the joy it gave me was real and fulfilling. The gift? A coffee date with an ex-student. An hour of his day given to me and a continued involvement in his life as he goes forward with his vocation. It cost him nothing, he did not have to wrap it , he did not have to send it and yet when the hour was over my day was better and my sense of connection to life and his life in particular was enhanced.

During life gifts play an important part. As children the brightly wrapped boxes at birthdays and holidays were highly anticipated, but once obtained the importance of the contents faded. The toys were played with less and less to be replaced with the newer fad. The books were read and the clothes worn though they were never favored as a gifting the first place. Still these material things did indeed give us gift. They gifted us with the idea that we mattered and that someone cared for us. Later as we began to give gifts that we actually selected to others, the act of giving gave us the gift of service to others. We learned that our actions could and did help others as we watched them open our wrapped boxes.

Now,I savor different gifts. Yes, a package is fun ,but more important is the caring behind the box and what it may hold. The act of selection , the taking of the time to actually obtain, wrap and present the box affirms to me that someone cares about me. That is the true gift. The gift of time is a true gift. Calling someone, having coffee, sharing road trip, talking about shared interests all these are gifts of time spent with me in mind. That is true gift, is it not?

Besides time there are gifts of the spirit and that is one I received today. Andy talked to me about his steps to his vocation, about beliefs we share and the meanings they have for us. I was allowed into his life just a little bit.He made me feel that I had in some small way been part of his journey, As a teacher these moments with ex- students help to realize in the years(50+ years)of teaching,I had actually touched lives in positive ways What a gift he gave me, and I hope some day some one will give him a similar gift.

So I try to give these same gifts to others. I try to give them time by being there to share love and ,laughter pain and tears. I try to give them spirit gifts by listening to them and sharing their importance in my life. Yes I love to give the wrapped boxes but these unwrapped gifts are I believe are the most important. Thank you Andy for reminding me of the meanings of the simple word gifts.