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Giving the Gift of Yourself this Holiday Season
Your loved ones want your presence more than your presents
Every year about two days before Christmas I begin to experience something I’m not especially proud of.
Thinking about the gifts I’ve bought for my family, I get the feeling that I don’t quite have enough for them. The feeling has almost nothing to do with how many gifts I’ve bought or how “good” the gifts are.
Beyond the quantity and quality of my offerings is the sinking feeling that my efforts to express my appreciation for my loved ones doesn’t quite measure up to how I feel — and that, somehow, they will be disappointed.
Can you relate?
Indeed, there have been some nights before Christmas where I’ve left the cozy warmth of my home to drive to the mall, neurotically looking for the perfect gift — what I should have bought a few days ago.
Ouch!
It’s humbling to witness this kind of behavior in me and it’s humbling to admit it, but at least I’m aware of this particular Grinch who takes up residence inside of me during the holiday season.
In time, with some reflection and a deeper dive into selfhood, I’ve come to realize this phenomenon is all-too-common and has nothing to do with my…
