A ONE OFF GIFT?
A while ago I saw a quote that got me thinking. The quote was: "Everyone Is Gifted, but Some People Never Open Their Package" and although it sounded very profound, I stopped and ran it through my head one more time and started to question the whole premise of only being given one gift in life.What if we didn't realize the gift was ours to open? What if we were too scared to open it? What if we didn't think we'd like what was in it? What if we were too busy, or too distracted to open it when it was given? What if we did open it and it turned out to be a disappointment? Would that mean we'd missed the boat when it came to our one big life gift?
WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
I always smile when I think back to the ad where the salesman would always offer you that little bit more with whatever he was selling. It may not be a free set of steak knives, but what if there was more to this whole "gifted" thing? Maybe we don't only get a one-off, once in a lifetime offer. Perhaps we could look at it a little differently and think "What if there's more?".Good old Forrest Gump had a mother who said something profound - yes we can all recite it.... "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." I kind of like the idea of a box full of chocolates, rather than just a one time only gift. There is so much variety in every box and you never know what you're going to get until you unwrap it (unless you're like me and cheat by looking at the bottom of the box or inside the lid!)
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO DISCOVER
I like to think that life offers us a variety of options - not just a one-off shot. Instead of one particular gift that you only receive once, it could be a series of small gifts - like going on an Easter egg hunt. You approach life with the curiosity of a child and as you look around you find little gifts hidden everywhere. Some are really obvious and some are so well hidden that you have to be older and wiser to know exactly where to look.Each gift is delicious, but you find them at your own pace and in your own time. You might not want to leave it for too long (they might melt) but there is all the fun of hunting, finding, opening, and discovering what is waiting for you. You don't miss out, you don't have to live with the regret of not opening that single gift, because there's still lots more coming.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Do you think there's only one gift given to each of us and if we don't find it and open it then we miss out? Or are you a bit like me where you think life might be full of lots of gifts that we discover as we go along? I like the idea that there is still more out there and as I get older and wiser, I will find the elusive ones - and they may be the most special of all.
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I've changed tack so many times that I'm convinced we all get an infinite number of potential gifts - but it's up to us to work at them, recognise them, make the most of them, take them for granted, pretend we can't see them...whatever. #TeamLovinLife
ReplyDeleteI'm just tired of people declaring that you have one Passion or one Gift - there are a lot of us who have little bits of things that we love, or things that we like and then move on from. I think it's a more balanced life myself :)
DeleteWhat an incredible way to look at life and making the most of it, Leanne!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's only been in these last couple of years that I'm more open to this thinking, and not so worried. See...it's like age is a good thing!!
XOXO
Jodie
www.jtouchofstyle.com
I'm actually finding that these last few years have taught me a lot of things Jodie - self acceptance and not believing everything I hear are two big ones. I was feeling quite sad that I had no one BIG talent - now I see that you can have many aspects of life that you're good at and you can enjoy all of them.
DeleteI think we all have many gifts and talents but a lot of them go unrecognised by us, for a variety of reasons. I wonder how much we are influenced by being taught not to get big headed. It reminds me of the Marianne Williamson quote which starts "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate...."
ReplyDeleteI think we've been spun a bit of a tale about what is an acceptable talent and what is less "worthy" Now I think that you can be good at many different (unrecognized) things and that's okay - especially if those things give you a smile and keep you interested and interesting.
DeleteWhilst I have not given this much thought as you have...I believe we all have many many gifts and they appear at different times and for different reasons. And of course that we keep learning as we live. Good food for thought. Denyse x
ReplyDeleteLook at how much you've changed, grown and developed in the last 12 months Denyse - including your outfit a day and your blogging and your art. All great gifts and so much fun - they might not be considered as HUGE gifts, but they are so satisfying aren't they?
DeleteI definitely think that life is full of gifts! I believe that they come when we're ready or need them the most, but sometimes we just choose to look the other way (or open another gift) :)
ReplyDeleteMarta
http://www.lambassadrice.com/
It really is up to us isn't it Marta? We get presented with lots of options and if we're open to them and brave enough, who knows what life will offer us!
DeleteSuch a great post, Leanne. Personally, I think we are given many gifts throughout our life. Some we may overlook, others we choose to ignore. However, there is always opportunity or "gifts" just waiting to be opened. Hopefully, we are wise enough to explore them. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Brenda - and I totally agree with you. I love the idea that we have new things presented to us throughout life and as we mature and develop we discover even more. It's so much better than only having one gift and too bad if you don't make the most of it.
DeleteI think everybody has more than one gift. We just need to discover them as we go along in life.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I'd like to think too Pat - it's kind of nice to think that there is still so much more to discover!
DeleteI hope I have more than one gift! It amazes me from watching the Olympics how did these athletes' gift become recognized? Of course everyone thinks their child is talented but.....
ReplyDeleteEven those sorts of talents are so short lived aren't they? Not many athletes get to do things at their peak after 30 - wouldn't it be a shame if that was all they had and there was nothing else to look forward to? I love the idea of life giving us new little presents throughout the years.
DeleteI've learned that every day I wake up is a gift. It's a gift ready for unwrapping, and I see a beautiful sunrise or sunset, or if I get to eat some chocolate, the gift is even better. Which is not at all to say that life doesn't have problems, or its ups and downs that sometimes exhaust you. But those gifts are there, every day, if you look. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely way to look at it Alana - there is so much beauty around us and we often forget how fortunate we are to be surrounded by it. There is so much given to us and to focus on only one area would be such a waste.
DeleteI believe we have more than one gift, we just have to explore and try different things as we get older.
ReplyDeleteThis made me think of the idea of love. Many people I know who've been married and divorced or widowed have found love again. It might be a bit different each time but it's there nonetheless. I worry more about the fact I've never experienced it at all... fear of opening that gift at all? #teamlovinlife
ReplyDeleteI guess it's different for us all isn't it Deb? I think about people who meet up with their high school sweetheart 30 or 40 yrs later and fall back in love - just so weird, but sweet too. You can never say never when it comes to gifts and to love - we just need to stay open to what life offers us - and snap it up when it comes!
DeleteHi, Leanne - Thank you for another very thought-provoking post. I am definitely in the camp of "Multiple Gifts, Multiple Surprises". I believe that it is our responsibility to discover and explore them along life's incredible journey!
ReplyDeleteYou're right about it being up to us to explore what life has to offer and to grab what's given to us with both hands Donna - sitting on the sidelines and watching life go by is not part of the deal!
DeleteI haven't visited for a while, but your writing is better than ever, Leanne!. I loved this post. I was thinking along much the same lines this week when I wrote about artistic creativity. Here's to discovering all of our gifts!
ReplyDeleteI've missed out chats Susan - and yes, there's no time like the present for discovering new things that keep our minds busy and engaged - life is definitely good isn't it?
DeleteI agree with the latter. I believe life is full of gifts but it up to us to discover, appreciate, and cultivate them whatever they may be.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right - so many people miss out on opportunities because they aren't prepared to step up and be brave and give it a go. I hope I keep finding new and interesting things as I go along - that's what keeps the spark in life!
DeleteGood one Leanne. I think we have gifts plural, right from birth. Gifts need to be nurtured and developed. Some are apparent in childhood but not explored and developed until we are adults. For example a child might show artistic qualities but it is not until they are grown and raised their families that they have time to explore the gift. Other gifts like hospitality or being a giver, the real joy comes when we use the gifts and pass the blessings on to others. Wisdom using gifts could be an issue, having a gift to help others does not mean that you can't say 'No' when needed. That is my take on gifts and sometimes I don't have the confidence to use what I have :(
ReplyDeleteKathleen
Blogger's Pit Stop
That was such an interesting take on the whole idea of gifting Kathleen (and I would expect nothing less!) You're right about not allowing our gifts to be used to the point where we feel used up, but also taking a risk and seeing what gifts we have and where they will take us is challenging too.
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