Posted by Terri McPherson on April 25, 2001 at 19:34:09:
The precious gifts you have to offer are not
determined by the amount of your disposable
income. They require more depth than the
almighty dollar has to offer and demand a
plunge in the well of your emotions. It takes
more effort to give of yourself than it takes to
buy a gift and give it.
Unchecked, emotions bounce you about on a
whirlwind of feelings. Repressed, they keep
you tentative and hidden. In between, there is
a mighty middle ground, where passions of
importance are given free reign and passions
of pettiness are squelched. Finding that middle
ground allows you to feel and share and care
from an intimate and cherished place in your
soul.
You can sit and be sad with someone without
being sucked in and smothered by sadness.
You can kick up your feet and dance in
another's joy without resenting their happiness.
You can be close when someone is grappling
with loneliness and not fear their desperation.
You can stay at a distance when someone
needs space to regroup their thoughts, and
know your feelings haven't been trampled on.
The greatest gift you'll ever give yourself, is
learning how to swim in your sea of emotions.
The greatest gifts you'll ever give humankind
are hidden in the trunks of sunken treasures
you'll find. You have the keys, all you need is
the courage to open the locks.