Everybody Wants To Be Special To Someone


You know the type; you can't do anything for them because
they won't let you. A little praise for their outfit is
rejected with, "Oh, this old thing? It's headed for the
rag pile as soon as I get home." An offer to help with some
chores when you know they could really use it gets turned
down with, "No, no, it's too much trouble for you. We can
manage quite well, thank you!"

Or they grudgingly take your gift, whether it be a simple
compliment or something more substantial. However, soon
afterward they 'return the favor', much like a receipt. More
often than not, the return outshines what was first offered
leaving the original giver feeling insignificant, if not
indebted.

And so it goes. What starts off innocently enough as a
sincere show of gratitude soon turns into a battle to see
who will outdo the other.

Admittedly, very few people I know have the attitude of, "I
will NOT be outdone." It only takes a couple of exchanges
to realize what's going on. I'm more than happy to swallow
my giver's pride and let them have the 'last word'.

However, I find with the majority of people it is usually a
feeling of unworthiness that makes them uncomfortable with
receiving. They will often say things like, "What did I do
to deserve this?" If they could only realize that just
being who they are makes them worthy enough to warrant
someone else's gratitude!

Then there are those people who were brought up with the
belief that, "It is better to give than receive". For all
of you in this category, here's a new wrinkle that you might
want to consider:

Sometimes the best thing you can give another person is the
opportunity to give!

You know, there's nothing like unconditional giving, without
expectation of return. If you have ever given a sizeable
donation anonymously, you know what I'm talking about.
What's even better though is to give to someone you truly
love without a second thought. For that one moment, all time
stops and you find yourself in the euphoria of eternity!

Now, for those of you on the receiving end who feel that you
absolutely must give something back, how about giving a
sincere thank you. This tells the benefactor that not only
was the gift received, but it was ACCEPTED!

You see, one of the main reasons that we give is because
everybody wants to feel special to someone. And nothing
makes a person feel more special than total, unconditional
acceptance.

Gifts from Toronto,
Russ