Giving and Receiving: A Deeper Look at the Art and Soul of Giving

Bringing awareness to the art of giving and receiving can enrich both our own souls and those of others

_________

I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage that it is more blessed to give than to receive, right? And while it certainly feels good to give, there is no joy in the giving unless there is a gracious receiver on the other end. Both giving and receiving, if done with love and joy and openness, can act as a salve to soothe a tired soul. So if you want your life to really flow and be easy, it’s best to learn how to do both graciously and happily.

Most of us have had our receiving wings clipped at an early age, especially women.

And we’ve been conditioned to go overboard in the giving department. We need balance here because without it, we are constantly stressed and drained.

Let’s just take the holiday season as an example. Holiday gift giving has become such a burden that we quite naturally associate the holidays with stress. This is ridiculous. The time from Thanksgiving through New Year’s should be characterized by taking stock of the past year and enjoying the real meaning of the holidays. Instead it has become an “Are you ready for Christmas?” frenzy. When I was working at the hospital, I used to have recurrent nightmares about having to go up to a store that’s open 24/7 to get my daughters their Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve. During those days I over-gave gifts at Christmas because I felt guilty about spending so much time at work. Not exactly a balance between giving and receiving.

Now that we’re all adults, we’ve consciously curtailed obligatory holiday gift giving to relieve stress. And the relief is palpable. We focus