Monday this week brought a delicious surprise. Through the United States Post Office came an 11” x 15” carton box filled with assorted edibles from my BFF (best friend forever). After spending the past week being miserably health-challenged, the assortment of delectable items in the care package was a most welcome treat. Thank you, Josie!
I was in the mood to celebrate my resurrected health so I shared some of the goodies with people at work. One woman was surprised that I was even willing to share some of it! Her reaction naturally took me aback and I found myself spending a moment to ponder on it. I don’t know why many people have a hard time with the notion of sharing. I grew up with the knowledge that generosity was not only a virtue, it was a must-do human exercise. Perhaps I was plain lucky to be raised in a household where abundance simply flowed, therefore it was easy to feel generous.
My fondest childhood recollection includes the weekends spent with relatives who came to our home to eat, party and catch up with each other. There were always cousins who came for the bonding. Today those animated days are just a long-ago memory which is most likely the reason I treasure my sacred space now. In those young years, the constant bonding with relatives was fine while the occasions lasted. After the energetic get-togethers of those pre-teen years, my alone time now is much more valued. I'd like to think that God made me experience those infinite family get-togethers so that I would have sufficient memories to flashback on now that I live a tranquil existence away from my family.
You see, I don’t know how I could have devoted time to my writing if I was undisciplined in my social life. Quality quiet time is when great ideas germinate in the mind. Some writers (like journalists sent on assignments) can write shining pieces even in the middle of a war-torn environment. Those folks thrive on the beating pulse of a place, the throbbing energy of the moment. I prefer the laidback consciousness of the creative process.
The Monday gift gave me significant pause to thank God for all the people who have touched me. My BFF has been one of many countless others who have enriched my life. I’m most grateful for this blessing. For those people in my world who can’t help but find human readiness in giving a bit of a surprise, they’ll be in for a bigger shock to know that generosity has been a constant in many people's lives In some Asian cultures, it's simply a way of life. The ability to share and give is not only a blessing, it is a gift that keeps on giving.
