Give and Take

My parents had always told me that it was more blessed to give than to receive, and I believed them. But I didn't FEEL it. Even though I always enjoyed giving someone a gift, I didn't really get what they were saying.

Maybe it finally hit me when my oldest child came into the world. I don't know when it was, really, but at some point, I finally realized that I am happiest when I am giving something.

Caring for someone.

Creating something.

Making something better.

Solving a problem.

Lifting someone.

Encouraging someone.

Calming someone.

Feeding someone.

The things I do for myself are important, and they charge me for doing all the other things that must happen every day. But the things I do for other people or the world around me are the things that make me smile.

Even if all I am doing is feeding the incredible swarm of hummingbirds that hangs around my back porch, it pleases me to give.