Post 2- Gifts

Material things are meaningless. Sure, we may be happy to open a box on Christmas, and find a new iPod or whatever, but eventually it becomes passe. It goes unappreciated. You don't look at the new iPod, and think of your mom everytime you listen to it. What really counts, are the gifts that make you smile, and remind you of the giver everytime you look at it. Those are the best gifts, because they forever leave a smile on your face. Emmerson suggests that we give gifts that are necessary. For example, we may notice that a friend doesn't own any pot holders, so on their next birthday we get them some pot holders, and feel really good about ourselves because we gave them something we thought they needed. While this is all good and fine, people do appreciate recieving things they need, a true gift is "a portion of thyself". Gifts shouldn't be given as an excuse for not being there. Also, gifts should not be given by force. Society sets us up that at least 2 times a year we are required to give gifts, during the holiday season, and on birthdays. This, however, defeats the purpose of gift giving/gift receiving. Gifts should be given, because the giver wants to give them, not because it's an obligation. However, that's the way society is, and I'll admit I enjoy receiving gifts every once in awhile. Gifts are easily forgotten, because they usually don't have meaning behind them. The best gift I ever received was this little desk, a family friend's son had made me, and Dora, the family friend, had hand painted. It was beautiful. Money was tight for them at the time, but they still wanted to give me something for Christmas. When I woke up on Christmas morning, it was sitting unwrapped in my family room. It was so uniquely intriguing. Dora came out of the kitchen with her famous pan dulce, and I was so happy just to have her and her family there with us to celebrate. It was the best Christmas I ever had. The best gift I ever gave was recently for a friend's birthday. It's been really hard for my friendships, since I moved to San Diego. When my friends are having difficult times, it's not very easy for me to just go home to LA and comfort them. Just as it is not easy for them to come down here, and comfort me. My best friend's birthday was a little while ago, and she hasn't had the easiest year. My changing schools really upset our usual routine. We used to always end up going to lunch together on Sundays. It was never really planned it always just happened. The Sunday of her birthday, I decided to just show up at her house. I woke up, and just drove there. I didn't tell anyone, I just went. Seeing her face, when she answered the door led me to believe, that just being there was the best gift I could have given her.