Joy in the Journey - The Gift of Receiving
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
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It has been said that it is easier to give than to receive, and I have lived long enough to know that the real gift is the receiving part. The giving is easy. The receiving, well that’s a whole other story.
When I was a young mom with babies and toddlers biting my ankles, I used to swap baby-sitting with a few friends. But anytime they babysat my brood, I hurried to find a time when I could return the favor by having their kids over so I could relieve my guilt and put myself back on the giving end.
We went on vacation one summer a few years back, and friends of ours remodeled our bedroom while we were gone. They gave it a fresh coat of paint, new bedding and a new lamp. I felt guilty for months about not being able to give back, so I sent them a huge box of gourmet cheesecake.
Another time, we had a power outage that lasted a week and another family invited us to live with them until our power came back on. Talk about the burden of receiving that gift!
It’s sad that I have to see some kind of balance between my giving and receiving so that I can let go of the guilt of receiving. If only I could get to the place where I could give the gift of receiving as easily as I give the gift of giving.
I say all of this so you know that I know about giving and receiving. I have seen it. I have lived it. Both sides. And I know that the true gift is not in the giving, but in the receiving.
Last week, we spent some time on the giving end, and once again, I was blessed beyond my wildest dreams. Dear friends of ours needed some help to chainsaw a tree that had fallen in their yard and with some basic yard work. So a group of us headed over for the day. We had an amazing day working and laughing.
And at the end of the day, when I took my not-so-young-and-very-sore-and-tired-bones home to shower and rest, I was goose-bumped with joy from the inside out.
I love being the giver. It’s easy to be the giver. It feels great to be the giver.
But I think we all need to learn how to be better receivers, to give the gift of allowing someone to help us out. Let them give to us. Let them walk away with the goose-bumped-joy feeling once in a while.
Which is why I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to our sweet friends for allowing us to be the givers this time around. You know who you are. Thank you for giving us the gift of receiving, allowing us to give something small to you that felt grand to us.
It has been said that it is easier to give than to receive, and I have lived long enough to know that truer words have never been spoken.
Come hear Trish speak at the Image of God Women's Conference in Bay Village, Ohio. The events is hosted by Praise-Apella, featuring Inspirational Female Vocalist of the Year, Tammy Trent and 95.5 The Fish’s own Brooke Taylor. To purchase tickets or for more information, go to www.iTickets.com or www.TrishBerg.com.
Posted by Trish Berg 5:00 AM
Labels: Graphic Publications Column, The Bargain Hunter, Wooster Weekly News
Enjoyed the post.
T