My  pondering thoughts of today have been concerning gifts.  No, not the wrapped up surprise variety.  The gifts of ourselves that we bring to the world. Yes, we are a gift. One of a kind. Unique.

The very core of our being is a gift.  Whatever I am, whatever you are… we are all meant to enhance the world we live in, and to be blessing to  others that we encounter. Yet, how often do each of us become so involved in simply existing.. so overtaken by life that we cease being ourselves? We become Mom, Dad, the adult child of aging parents.. the debtor or the CEO. Where ever life deposits us at the moment, we adapt to that environment.

Yet, if we had a moment we could call our own… where would you be? What would you be doing? No, not a day at the spa.. or a vacation. All of those are indeed wonderful, but, that is not what I mean.

If you could be whatever YOU  wanted to be, doing whatever YOU wanted to do. What would you choose? What would your gift be to enhance the world?   A teacher? A prayer warrior?  Simply a friend? A guide? A  leader?

A gift isn’t a gift until it is given. It’s just a box wrapped up pretty with a bow.  So, yes, I am using the wrapped up variety for a reason.  I’m just putting ourselves in as the gift.  Until we are able to fulfill our own heart’s dream… all we are doing is surviving.

We are keeping ourselves wrapped up, in pretty box. We may look beautiful, but until we are “opened” we are simply a box.

What is your gift? Have you let yourself be opened yet?  I’m working  on it.  I want to be the gift that I am. One worthy to be opened and one that is indeed a blessing to whoever I come in contact with.