I remember bringing a gift of flowers home to my wife on our first anniversary, and she was pleased but advised me that we shouldn’t spend our money on things that are nice but unnecessary. We were struggling financially while I attended the university. Later, when we could afford it, she was still too practical to appreciate spending money for flowers because they would be wilted and thrown away in a week or two. However, she dearly enjoyed the flowers in the yard. The following can serve to remind us that the most precious things in life cannot be bought. The following are the gifts that she will always enjoy and appreciate:
The gift of a written note. It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life and even appear in her memoirs. I sent her a love and appreciation note for one of our anniversaries and it turned up in her history, it was that appreciated by her. Our daughter growing up would place little love notes all over the house not just for mother and or dad she would leave notes to her brothers.
The gift of a compliment…A simple and sincere, “You look great in red,” “You did a super job” or “That was a wonderful meal” can make someone’s day.
The gift of a favor …Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.
The gift of solitude …There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.
The gift of a cheerful disposition …The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone else, really it’s not that hard to say, Hello or Thank You. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend a ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.
“A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it remembers, the men it honors.” —President John F. Kennedy
“Greater love has no one than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends.” ( John 15:13) They gave us the gift of freedom. Remember their sacrifice. The gift of sensitivity to others and sincerity in our friendships. We can hardly ask for more than that. I find myself watching the news and talking to it in my old age. When a sad thing happens to someone I will say; “ I’m sorry” and if they were hurt badly and may not recover, I may shed a tear for them. On the other hand when a person does something heroic and/or brave, I may say aloud and to the person on TV. “Thank you!” Or “Good Job! I’m Proud of you.” The older I get, the more I realize that we are more alike than unalike. Brothers and sisters and sons and daughters of God. Formed from inanimate clay but with a spirit inserted directly in, a spirit that came with sensitivity for all other fellow travelers. Knowing that they will experience heartache, physical injury, and emotional stress just as we will and do. If we can’t be sensitive to them and their needs we should not expect anything more from them. But knowing that most people experience the same emotions and concerns as we, we should be compassionate and loving to all. The gift of humanity. There are several things in life that have been associated to happiness but I agree with Victor Hugo when he stated in his great novel, Les Miserables, 1862.
“Life’s greatest happiness is to be convinced that we are loved.” The gift that lasts and lasts and cost nothing—the gift of love.
The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything they have. Love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and have a grateful heart.
Thank you body for allowing me to experience every day completely.
Thank you eyes for the opportunity to see the beauty and majesty of the world around me.
Thank you nose for the pleasure of smelling delicious food and the familiar smells of the seasons.
Thank you lips for the tender moments of kissing my loved ones.
Thank you mouth for allowing me to transform my thoughts and feelings into words I can share with others through conversation laughter and song.
Thank you brain…For everything—for the memories you encode, for the emotions you allow me to feel, for the deep thoughts you allow me to generate, for the information you allow me to store and to analyze, for allowing me to integrate my experiences into a cohesive sense of self.
Thank you lungs for allowing me to breath in the richness of life- the bitter cold in the winter air, the spring breezes, the moistness in summer showers, and the crispness of fall afternoons.
Thank you heart for your hard work through all of life’s adventures—pumping ceaselessly, loving and sustaining me every second of every day.
Thank you stomach for transforming the food I ingest into needed energy.
Thank you arms for allowing me to hold close those I love.
Thank you fingers for allowing me to create, experience and caress.
Thank you legs and feet for carrying me to the places I love and enjoy.
Thank you body for your diligence, loyalty, and love. You allow me to live and to love completely. I am blessed to have you and look forward to our lifetime together.
Thank you Heavenly Father for the blessing of experiencing a body that provides us with so much joy and happiness. (A poem by Anna Packard as Modified by Joanne and Emil Hanson)