Day 72 ❦ Give Simply, Embrace Someone With Your Care Today

Day 72 ❦ Give Simply, Embrace Someone With Your Care Today

THE GIFT: A much needed meal, a hug and friendship

Not sure what it is that the food theme is presenting itself a lot in this phase of the 100 Days of Giving...maybe it is because it is such a visceral reaction for me to want to feed people, food represents comfort, or food is a reflex for me to want to give. I know in my head that there is a lot of research about the importance of people sharing food together, the increases in connection, decreases in social isolation, not to mention the importance of the regularity of taking time to spend time eating together - my head responds to feeding people from a scientific viewpoint. My heart on the other hand, just wants to open up a roadside diner with picnic tables that hold hundreds and just serve up the food to anyone who needs to or wants to enjoy time together over a meal. Okay, not just a meal, but food, appetizers, desserts, buffets - if it is food, I want two or more to gather and enjoy.

I was still thinking about my friends from yesterday when I noticed at the side of the road another friend of mine who had a flat tire, or at least it looked like he had a flat tire (it turns out that he had slow leaks in all four of the tires in his truck) and was waiting

Day 56 ❦ Share the gift of friendship

Day 56  ❦  Share the gift of friendship

The Gift: Dinner out with some friends

I happen to be in Boulder for work and haven’t been here for several years. I lived in Colorado for 12 years before moving to Minnesota and I have been gone for many years. It is so nice catching up with friends and tonight I have invited a friend who I have not seen since I moved close to 15 years ago. Randy is the kind of friend who I feel very comfortable with and when we meet – It is like I never left – we have lots of stories and things to catch up on and the night goes quickly. He brings his wife who I have not met and we have a chance to forge new relationships. It is such a gift for me to have people in my life who are there for forever and who can help me remember sometimes about which I have fond memories. It is especially wonderful to be able to develop new relationships within the old ones and create new memories. The gift of dinner does not even come close to the gift I received in return.

Authors note: There have been many parallels in my current life with the time during which I was experiencing the first cycle of 100 days of giving – today is the craziest parallel however, since on the day that this will post – about an experience I had 8 years ago…I will be having dinner, sharing the gift of friendship and dinner with these same friends in Boulder.

❦  Share the gift of friendship