Everyday we move forward with things we have to do or want to accomplish. Today & on other occasions I have been reminded that as focused and consumed as I can be on the things on my to-do list, I am actually trying to also live a life of purpose ON purpose.

So there are small moments or incidents that a higher power aligns itself to my inner being to refocus my attention on these basic beliefs: ‘We all have gifts inside of us. Our gifts are not for ourselves. And while I am the strongest advocate for self-preservation, we are to be unselfish with our gifts!’ I think often we conveniently give our gifts to our favorite people or try to morph our gifts into something profitable. That’s not wrong, but what does it look like when we are a planet of people who wake up in the morning looking forward to who the day will show us to share our gifts with? If anybody we encountered was a candidate. If experiences and visions led us to live, respond, create, and love in a way that our focus was to share our gifts.

On a recent visit to my Mom’s, we arrived at her house after being out all day & upon arriving at the door she noticed a huge bag of peaches. No note, no name. No clue.  Just a big bag of peaches hanging on the door waiting for her. It was not random because getting to Mom’s door requires finding or knowing how to enter this hidden backway to her address,  walking past the car port, opening the gate, and coming inside the yard. So somebody went out of their way to leave those peaches for her on purpose.

Later we found that they were from a friend who participates in a food co-op. She pays a small fee to get a bunch of naturally farmed produce on a monthly basis. It’s never a guarantee of what will be in the co-op share that month and you get what you get in terms of amount or variety. So Mom’s friend realizing that she couldn’t eat all the peaches herself decided to give them away. This was a good match because Mom loves to eat fruit, makes a mean cobbler, and always has people that she can share good things with (insert photo of peach-loving daughter here).

It’s like that! We should see, own, and operate with our gifts in the mind and heart that whatever gifts we have are not to be kept to ourselves.  Somebody out there needs what we have. We should realize the unlimited natural source that these gifts come from, our good fortune to have access to them, and then be inclined to give them away….unselfishly. Why hold tight and hoard or waste that which you do not own??? We should be facing every dawn intentionally clearing a space to say ‘May my heart and mind lead me to people, places, and things that need my gifts. Let me move out of the way and be selfless enough to recognize who is in need and can benefit. And when I encounter that moment, let me wrap my gift in love as I share it, that the receiver may be like a kid on Christmas morning (or a sweet lady finding a bag of peaches at her door – lol).

The thing I find most beautiful in this concept is that while we all love a great gift, usually the thing that blows us away more is the actual giving. The gift is wonderful, but I am touched when people think of me and act on wanting to share with me. That is the gift! That we acknowledge and remember each other. That we live wanting to bring goodness and joy to someone else. That’s love and if you’re blessed, that’s life!

I work daily still to share unselfishly, but am grateful for the reminders & nudges to keep me focused on living with this purpose in mind. What are your gifts? How and when do you share them? Have you trained yourself to be consumed daily with sharing your gifts unselfishly? What has been your perspective as a giver and a recipient? I shared my perspective. What is yours?