Shooting the Gift-Giver

A few months ago, I decided to give a friend a gift. At the time I made the decision, times were good, funds were abundant, and because I felt I already had been blessed with so much, I could afford to pass something good along to someone else. Seasons change, situations turn, but I had made a promise. Once I make a promise, I do not like to break it. And I truly believe that the course of our lives can change dramatically when we give to others out of our own need. I believe in some way, it will come back to me, perhaps not financially, but in other positive ways.

It took a little while for that person to actually receive the gift. She had to make a few phone calls and arrange things in order to actually hold it in her hands. It saved me the aggravation of having to do it. I don't have the time or the energy right now. She was willing to do the work. And she was grateful. She called me several times yesterday to thank me. She told me she would find some way to repay me. I explained it was a gift- no strings attached. You see, she has extended kindness to me quite a few times so I simply wanted to express my gratitude by helping her out.

Truth be told, I could have really used it myself. Times are tough. But I still have so much, regardless. So why not bless someone else?

What totally shocked me was the reaction of others. Those who believed she did not deserve this gift. One person in particular, thought it was rightfully his. I had orginally given the item to him, but it wasn't good enough, so I gave him a better one. And he left the orginal to sit and rot and take up space- for almost two years! I repeatedly asked him to do something with it so I did not have to suffer a total loss. He never did a thing and this frustrated me to no end. So I simply told my friend, make the arrangements and the proceeds would be hers to keep. When he discovered she was making arrangements, he suddenly began to do the same, hoping to beat her to the punch, take it all for himself and never tell me about it. In other words, he was going to steal it- from me. This was the most painful of all revelations. The one to whom I have been so generous over the years was stealing from me.

As I attempted to spend yesterday with my father (the day BEFORE his radical surgery) I endured a constant stream of nasty, abusive phone calls. Threats were made. The police were called. They were being sent over to my house. I was devastated.  I could not believe what was happening. Fighting, arguing, accusations-- all over a gift. Something someone did not want until I decided to give it to someone else. I spent the rest of the day in bed, exhausted from a big fat dose of reality, the insensitivity of others, and a broken heart.

Eventually, it all worked out for the intended recipient but not without a great deal of stress and aggravation on my part.  I cannot even begin to express the sadness in my soul as result. The hatred and violence that exists in people when it comes to certain things is devastating to me. I don't care if no one thinks my friend deserves to receive this gift. I think she does. It gave me peace and made me feel good to give it to her. I need to feel good right now. That should be the end of it. I thought others would understand this. Sadly, they do not. They shot the gift-giver. There is a part of me that now wishes to refrain from giving anything to anyone ever again.

Material things are simply MATERIAL THINGS. When you come to the point in life where everything has been stripped, stolen or taken from you, (trust me- we ALL come to that point eventually) all you have left is a handful of relationships. Hopefully, you have nourished and maintained those relationships. If not, you will be alone. If you use and abuse others and step all over them; robbing and stealing to get what you want, I mourn for you.  You will never experience the beauty of life, love, peace, or the true joy found in the simple companionship of others.

Give and it shall be given unto you.
Take and everything will eventually be taken from you.

The Law of Life...

And this is my Daily Cyn......