The Greatest Gifts Do Not Come With A Price Tag

Originally posted on my AOL journal 12/19/2007


In this season of giving, we are seeing people worried about rushing around making sure they have purchased the perfect gift. These people seem more concerned about the material aspect of this process, but in reality they are trying to purchase happiness for themselves and the receipent. I am just as guilty of it myself especially since I work in the industry that promotes the commercial end of Christmas. Every year as Meghan has gotten older and more interested in the giving of a gift, I have worked with her and preaching to her that she should give a gift that comes from the heart and not worry about the money. I have explained to her many times sometimes the smallest things mean the most which was what I received my own special reminder of today.
Today, I spent the morning helping my mom look up the names and addresses of people they have lost touch with over the last few years. One of the couples was someone that they knew during my dad's last active duty assignment. This couple and their family have been a part of our lives in some way for long as I can remember. Well, mom has tried to locate them several times of the past few years and has been unsusccesful. Today I hit pay dirt. I not only located their current address but their phone number as well. Guess where they live? Sanford Florida - right around the corner from us. Mom made the phone call this afternoon and the other couple was as thrilled to hear from mom and dad as mom and dad were to have found them. The two couples are currently trying to find a way to get together soon. Without realizing it, I provided four people a terrific gift with truly very little effort on my part. To hear the happiness that was generated from my stroking a few keys on my computer brought tears to my eyes.
We all put so much effort into what we give someone, especially at this time of year and sometimes thle best gift is a little time. The truly sad part is that we expend all this gift giving effort trying to generate the feelings in both the receipent of the gift and ourselves that I did today with such very little effort.