Give the gift of LISTENING. Really listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening.
Give the gift of AFFECTION. Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.
Give the gift of LAUGHTER. Clip cartoons, share articles, funny stories and a good clean joke. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."
Give the gift of a WRITTEN NOTE. It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" or an "I appreciate you" note. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime (and may even change a life).
Give the gift of a COMPLIMENT. Everyone needs encouragement. Mark Twain said, "One compliment can keep me going for a whole month."
Give the gift of [ALLOWING SOMEONE TO DO YOU A FAVOR. Accepting such a blessing will felicitate you both. -- I'm adding this because it may be even more important than the original which suggesting going out of your way to do a favor for someone else-- ulogtwo].
Give the gift of SOLITUDE. There are times when we want nothing more than to have some peace and quiet. Be sensitive to those times, and give the gift of solitude to others.
Give the gift of a CHEERFUL DISPOSITION. The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word. It's not hard to be polite and courteous, to say "hello" or "thank you."
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This is one of those "wish I'd said that" pieces. I've tried to make my emendations obvious and would be happy to give credit but it came to me as a "someone has written . . ."This is also a great game plan for anyone seeking to avoid stocking coal in 2010 and beyond.
Happy New Year, reader!
