 Recently, my 92-year-old mother passed away. I was able to spend time with her the week before her passing, reflecting on the many experiences I had with her. Becoming her manicurist because she could no longer trim her own nails was an opportunity to love her through this simple act. We talked about family trips and holidays, and I asked her about her life--as the only girl in her family, how she met my dad; and we reminisced about our family trips and holidays together. I am so grateful that I had this time to be present and to be intentionally loving her. We should never underestimate the gift of time and experiences that we share together.
I'd like to share a gift of experience from my childhood that I have included in my book: www.coachmyrna.org/7-gifts-to-give-your-child.html I remember when my parents purchased two season passes to a series of local cultural events. Each month, one of my siblings or I went with one of our parents to experience a string quartet, a musical or a play. One of my favorite memories is seeing the musical performance of H.M.S. Pinafore. It meant getting dressed up and having time alone with my mom or dad. In addition, there was the opportunity to go backstage and meet the performers, see their costumes or instruments up close, and get them to sign the program. The memories of these evenings far outlasted any toy that I received. Looking back, I realize the reason that there were only two season tickets was probably financial, but it made the experience all that more special when it was my turn. All of us fall into the habit of purchasing lots of gifts for birthdays and holidays. We do so to express our love, but perhaps what our child, grandchild, parent, sibling, grandparent, niece, or nephew would value most is to spend time together creating some amazing new memories. If you are trying to figure out the best gift to give, consider gifting an experience--the gift of time. What would get the recipient of your gift excited? Maybe it is a day spent at a wonderful museum with interactive exhibits about outer space, art, animals, or construction. It may be a special meal out with mom and dad without other siblings. Perhaps it is going on a train ride to discover a new place. Maybe it is going camping and fishing or attending a concert. How about learning a new skill like painting, using a potter's wheel, snowboarding, or gardening? Maybe it is a plane ticket to fly to visit you during spring break. The possibilities are endless and limited only by your imagination. I also urge us all to take the opportunity this holiday season to reach out to someone that haven't spent much time with recently. Expressing our appreciation and gratitude to others is important. Perhaps, we need to apologize or ask for forgiveness or just create a connection. Maybe sending a card or a text is a way to reach out. For more thoughts on "Deeping the Connection", look at the blogpost from a couple of weeks ago. www.coachmyrna.org/blog/november-13th-2024 Comments are closed.
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