Leonard

“When you let me take, I'm grateful. When you let me give, I'm blessed."

Last post I mentioned a doughnut meme. Here it is in all it’s glory.

 I have to be REAL right now.  I am a metaphorical doughnut eater. You give me an inch; I will take a mile and make you happy about it. It is a skill. But see, if you aren’t careful and you miss the other side of me, you might miss that I am on a journey of giving. You give me I mile, I am willing to give you two miles if you want them. I will dance and laugh and make you enjoy the journey in spite of it all. I guess if you wanted to, you could get all bent out of shape about what I have taken OR you could take a few doughnuts yourself.

            I wasn’t going to go into the doughnut meme at all until I read Leonard Nimoy’s thoughts on taking and giving. It is so perfectly in tune to basic human function. We all need to take from time to time, but if that is where we stop, we miss the point. Giving is the heart of it all giving is the true joy.

            Once you have been in the position of needing and someone gives, you truly understand the joy of giving. You see that you are meeting needs, alleviating hurt and making one person’s day just a little bit brighter. Giving also helps us to feel useful and needed. Useful is a basic need. We seem to be designed to need to serve a purpose. Each of us is good at different things and each of us compliments others that lack our skills. I posit we descend into less if we stop seeking useful, I know I do.

            This past week I have had an odd viral infection that sidelined me. I watched my spouse cook, clean, care for me, and keep children safe all in one go. I absolutely could not stand, but lying in bed listening to him ride the emotions of frustration and joy that come along with my job, hurt me. I was a sponge and I was missing out on the rhythm of my family; my life. I was grateful for the care I was receiving, but I needed to bless I needed to give. So, this week as my strength returns, I’ll be cleaning and doing, loving and caring for.  Taking is good when I must, but giving is life.