FRIDAY THOUGHTS : GIFTS

Once a gift is given, it no longer belongs to you. You can wonder about it, of course, but once it leaves your hands, you have no stake in how it is used (or not), who has access to it, or whether it is kept. 

When a person to whom you have gifted something, passes away, that gift is still not yours. There’s no automatic reversal, or moral dilemma. The gift is at the mercy and discretion of the deceased’s family, or designated executors. You can make no commands, nor have expectations for its return. You have no entitlement to it, unless it is bequeathed to you, or legally transferred to you. It was, after all, a gift, not a loan. There were no strings attached. There’s no “my” or “mine” to speak of.

It’s quite likely that a total stranger is now enjoying your gift. Maybe it was sold, given away, or discarded, and you’ll never see it again, but were you supposed to?

If by chance, kindness, or benevolence, however, your gift finds its way back to you, that’s where your gratitude kicks in, not your arrogance. You gave it, but without conditions, and then, someone recognized the value (sentimental or otherwise) of the gift, or the strength of your relationship, and thought, “I wonder if he/she would like to have this back?”. 

When a gift finds its way back to you, perhaps it was given so long ago, that you may not even remember giving it! You may not initially remember IT, at all, but the memories it inspires, are as priceless as the genuine smile your gift put on the face of the recipient, whom you now mourn. You may even gift the gift to someone else, who you know would appreciate it more than you.