1. The gift of knowing that one of most important goals in life is to feel whole and enough. In her first collection of poems Ginger Roots author Jill Lurie wrote the following poem entitled, “Goal Oriented.”
I woke up
And I felt beautiful
And radiant
And happy
And healthy
And peaceful
And alive
For no particular reason.
And it felt like
The most important accomplishment
Of my life.
2. The gift of complete presence.
It’s ironic that the best present I ever got as a child was total presence. You know the feeling of someone not just hearing you, but truly listening. The experience of feeling understood and validated, that you were more important than a TV show or a video on an iPad. These days it’s even more difficult to focus on our loved ones because of all our technical distractions. But if I could give you one thing, I’d give you this-a moment of being fully in the moment and engaged not just with your loved ones and yourself, but with life.
3. The gift of gratitude. There’s nothing that can switch my sour mood faster than a shot of gratitude. And it’s a lot easier than you think. Regardless of what’s not going well in your life, the fact that you’re reading this and are breathing suggests that you have more than enough to be grateful for. The best thing about gratitude? The more you focus on what you have, the more you will have to be grateful for.
4. The gift of patience. Patience is not an easy gift to accept. Oftentimes we’d like to exchange it for instant gratification. We gripe over the life we want, but can’t have. And as we get older, the things we want grows as our patience grows thinner. Instead of learning that things come in its own time, we indulge in our disappointment. Try to relax in whatever situation your in. If you can resist resisting and stop fighting what is, you will find a river of solace, a place where patience can be the hand to hold you while you’re in the midst of change and uncertainty. Let patience be your friend, not your enemy and you’ll not only get to where you want to go sooner, but you will get there with ease.
5. The gift of love. I do it too. I take for granted my generous husband. I see the unwashed dishes and the unfolded laundry and I momentarily forget. I forget about the years of kindness, unconditional love and generosity that builds not just a relationship, but a well-spent life. Sometimes when I’m down, I think about the love. I think about how it is stronger and more powerful than my fear. I think of how often we take it for granted and how often we forget its importance in our lives. And when I remember I sit and revel in it. I feel love the way I feel the sun warming my skin, the way sand feels on my toes, the complete way it makes me feel whole. And that is the best gift I have ever gotten and will ever receive. That my dear friend is what I wish for you…
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