Thursday was a rather slow day at work, and my secretary and I ended up sharing a variety of stories. A couple occurred a few years ago and involved me giving poems to waitresses just as I left their respective restaurants. I wanted to share with them what it was that I saw in them and their workaday efforts and smiles. I always gave them away as I left so they wouldn't think I actually wanted a phone number or something. Telling those stories reminded me about the importance of giving to others from whatever gifts we have. Whatever we have.
That evening I got a massage. It has been months since my last one and the woman who fixed a painful lower back and hip pain for me through deep muscle massage was not there, so I ended up with someone new. In conversation, I asked how she got started in the work. She went through some major life changes, prayed hard and discerned carefully what to do with her gifts. She chose the gift of touch to share with the world.
What do we do with our gifts? Do we use them for commerce or give them for healing and joy? I guess there is no right answer other than to use them well, which has me thinking (again) about my inventory of gifts, how to use them and how to disregard the things that are not gifts.
So, on Saturday, I was moved to write when I witnessed a young mother and her two children on the bench in front of me at the swim meet.
Tender as a mother's love
My daddy used to say
My unexpected gift
Was to witness it today
Simple and honest was their time
Mother with her son
Plenty of laughter and goofing 'round
Time together meant some fun
For decades he will remember times
Of back rubs, smiles and kisses
And he'll understand why as a man
It is his mother's love he misses.
Then, as they were about to leave, I handed the poem to her on a folded piece of paper.
I hope she enjoyed the poem as much as I loved sharing from what I create. It reminded me to share more freely the things I do well, just as my secretary and I discussed, and the massage therapist affirmed. I have no choice. None of us really do.
Listen to Life is a free ewsletter about learning and getting more from life by paying attention to our own stories and the stories of others, based on the presentations, writings, photography and workshops by Dion McInnis (www.dionmcinnis.com). Copyright 2010 Dion McInnis. All rights reserved.
