What is a gift?

This time of year, people get mighty hung up on what to buy people they love in order to demonstrate their love for them or to conform with societal expectations...I was having a chat with an old friend Dawn and she said something that really resonated and agreed with my inner being. She was talking about her new fella who had asked her about what she would like for Christmas and she stated that she wanted an experience rather than an object. She was quite adamant that she had all the things she needed with regards to jewellery, gadgets, and things. She just wanted experiences with those she loved and liked not STUFF. This I thought was a fabulous idea and I wish to take it on board and make it a rule for me and mine.

I want the gift of your time! I want you to take me out for a coffee, or a picnic or have me over for a board game. I don't need nor want stuff given to me. I am in the very fortunate position of being a white western woman with disposal income that can buy exactly what she wants, when she wants (most of the time)

I do enjoy the majority of gifts given to me, they show talent and intuition about me when I unwrap them. But the people I love and wish to have around me more than they are, I just want their time to spend with me. I want to talk and laugh and enjoy their company without fretting that they have spent money they can ill afford on me.

This coming year I want to spend time NOT money on my loved ones - Time is precious and ever decreasing, this I want to lavish on my loved one and I want them to lavish on me in return

I got sidetracked...doing my 50 things

Life got very busy there for a while so my postings were put aside, so, ahem, here is the continuation of my top 50 things, now where was I...

Aah yes time spent with friends

I count myself very lucky with my friends, they come from all areas of my life and bring joy and happiness every time I meet with them. Sometimes they challenge my thinking and behaviours, sometimes they make me laugh until I cry and other times they just make me cry with them during a tough time for them. I love my friends dearly for they each bring something to me that I need and I hope that I bring something to them that they need.

I used to stress because I had friends from work, friends from Karate, friends from school, friends from dancing and friends who happen to be family that I couldn't have them all over at the same time because they wouldn't know each other, well a friend sorted me out on that count when I wanted to instigate a board game afternoon and I was fretting no one would come or no one would feel comfortable because they didn't know each other, well I worried for no reason. I invited those of my friends who I know like board games and its gone off great guns since.

I now feel confident enough to host an open house on Boxing Day afternoon and know that my friends will enjoy themselves whether they just chat amongst themselves or play board games or eat food that I make out of my Thermomix.

After all its only taken me 38 years to get to this point but I've always taken my time about these matters!