Tonight I was thinking back on the presents that I received and how appreciative I was of time that family and friends put into thinking of me on the holiday - I so easily rip open my own presents, send the email or call of thanks and move on. I'm sure many other people do as well, maybe as they use the item, they think once again of who gave it them. But this year I had been undecided how I wanted to do gift giving and I knew I wanted to change that, make it more personal than "What do ya need? What do ya want?"
This year I got some gifts that have set in motion a more conscious idea of gift giving, whether birthday or Christmas. This year I received more hand-made gifts than I had in the past and gifts to charities made in my name. While receiving a bought gift always makes me smile (especially something I need) the gifts I received that were handmade or made in my name reached out and touched my heart.
Some may call it age or that I have gotten to that stage in life where I have all I need as I am more set in life. No matter, it is a change that I am glad that is happening and I want to feed it to grow more each year. I see the connection home-made jam and I tear up a little when that jar is empty as opposed to when I buy a store bought jar of jam because I know that love went into that gift. I am proud to wear a T-shirt that says I have helped provide clean water to someone because I have a connection now, it isn't just another shirt. Because of this change in myself I see that power it has with me and I want to give that emotional response to others.
This new year has also brought out the desire in both my partner and I that we have more than enough of what we need in life. In America if we don't have something that we need, we have so many locations where we can get what we need that holding onto 3 frying pans of the same size isn't a necessity, that holding onto 12 pairs of shoes when only 5 pairs are worn over the course of the year.
Because of this change of attitude towards possessions and the feeling (for me) of freeing up space has put us on a hunt to clear clutter. Certainly we have not made the cut off for 2009 taxes but who cares, that benefit will be appreciated next year. Instead the year 2010 has been an appreciation of the change of attitude towards our possessions, keeping only what is needed, understanding the power of quality even if it costs more, welcoming the home-made because of the connection and releasing our connection to the past through the things we keep.
If you will bare with me some; a funny dream woke me on January 1st 2010, I don't remember them too much but the odd ones always stick with me. I dreamt I was standing in the pouring rain, it felt like rain and smelled like rain but when I looked at the ground it was raining frogs/toads. That won't me up pretty quick and I had to check it out. One of the two definitions of this type of dream is that it is a fertility dream, and since this definition is highly unlikely I will go with the other definition that is more along the lines of a cleansing with changes and new beginnings and if my attitude over the last few days is any indication I would have to agree with that.
Change is coming in 2010 and I look forward to it, whether good or bad.
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The same attitude shift has happened to me, too. I usually give one of my best friends a gift on her birthday and Christmas, both of which are in December, a fancy sweater or chic piece of jewelry or accessory, knowing that she has drawers full of these items already. She loves animals in general and horses in particular so this year I donated money in her name to ReRun, Inc. which saves and cares for race horses that can't race anymore. She was so thrilled with the gift she spoke to everyone in her family about it and they were as excited as she was. I believe that 2010 will be a year where less is more and thoughts and deeds are more valuable than things
@Hollis
That is very cool to hear that she really found the gift exciting enough that she told others as well. Good going!
Thanks for the great post. I'm also on a quest to rid myself of things I don't use/need. I've been working on it for a few years and hope to do a big clean out in 2010. (I also gave home-made jam as many of my christmas gifts this year! hope some people were as appreciative as you).
Jill
As for me, I do appreciate hand made gifts as well, it is because they really did give an effort to make such gifts. I am a person who appreciates a lot of things whether bog or small. It's nice to be contented of what you have right now, although dreaming of having something that you wish it not bad at all, just don't want what you can't have.
2010 is here, and I also feel that changes will come, good or bad, let us embrace it..