Gifts and giving (in the spirit of the Season)

In attempts to deal with this moment of being under-the-weather, I decided to put the tea set that my good friend gave to me. Using the set immediatly brought thoughts about that friend and the blessing to have someone to share common interests with. In this season where giving (and shopping) is at the forefront, it's nice to pause to reflect on the point of the giving-the people we're sharing them with.  Getting caught up in the details of shopping and budgets can easily veer us away from that fact. Giving  is about the human connection more so than the actual items in themselves. They're meant to be reminders of what lies beneath-the love between family, friends, and others as members of the human species. What's more, gifts and giving are purposed to recall the value of each person given their shared humanity. It's a blessing to be to able to share with someone other than oneself. To be able to receive is a blessing as well considering nothing in life is guaranteed. THAT is the heart of gifts and giving.