Giving

My nephew is a thoughtful gift-giver. Each year, he goes to Santa's Workshop at his school and picks out the most thoughtful gifts for everyone in our family. He gets so excited to watch everyone open their gifts.

He is allowed to purchase one gift for each of us (per the rules of Santa's Workshop). I remember how upset he was one year when he saw that the adults had purchased several gifts for one another. He wished he could have purchased several gifts for each of us, as well. He loves the act of giving and the act of choosing the perfect gift to suit that person.

This year, he was so excited to give me my gift. He told everyone to open their gifts first and said, "Aunt Tanya has to open hers last because it is the most perfect." He excitedly watched as I pulled away the paper to reveal a make-up set. He knows that I love my make-up and has me pegged as a girlie-girl.

As we proceeded to the adult gift opening, I realized that each of us had the same enthusiasm as my young nephew. Each of us were more excited to watch others open the gifts we thoughtfully purchased for them than we we were to open our own presents. The is such a sense of happiness and love that comes from the act of giving gifts to others. Maybe we should all carry the spirit of giving that seems to come so naturally at Christmas throughout the entire year.

Waiting, waiting, and more waiting...

I have spent entirely too much time in my life waiting for something. I feel like I'm always saying, "I'll start eating healthier on Monday" or "Once the new year rolls around, I resolve to (insert goal here)" or "When this semester ends, I'll start reading for fun again." I have spent a lot of time waiting for the moment to be right and the circumstances to be perfect.

I didn't make any resolutions with the new year. I started to think...what if I just do the things I know I NEED to do to be a better person? What if I decide each and every day to resolve to be the best I can be? Why do I need to wait until Monday, or next month, or when the semester ends, or once we move, or after vacation? Why not now?

I guess this new philosophy is essentially a resolution. It is a resolution to live life for today...to put my best foot forward each and every day. Will I fall short? Yes. We all do. But, starting TODAY, I am certainly going to try.