Gift

A gift is a wonderful part of sharing love and appreciation. The gift itself is special and it is mostly enough to convey the message of appreciation intended. But then why are the gifts wrapped in beautiful papers with pretty ribbons on it?  A pretty frock given as such and given with a good wrap does make a difference. The wrapping makes it explicit that it is a gift given as a token of appreciation. It also ensures that the gift is not taken for granted and is noticed.

All the gifts in life do not often come with the glitter paper wrap around it. May be this is the reason why many of the little gifts that we get in life are taken for granted and why many of the gifts are not appreciated to the extent it should be. It takes conscious effort to appreciate such gifts and utilize it.

I used to be quite excited to visit the small piece of land that my parents had bought. It was sheer joy to see our house come up in this plot. By the time the structure was completed, I had completed my pre graduation and somehow lost the full excitement. I visited the house the day before the blessing. The painting was not complete. The exterior was painted fully white, including the roof. The hall was painted with a good shade as suggested by the architect. The doors and windows were also done. The wardrobes were yet to be completed. But the house had just enough for us to start living there. I took a look at the house again before I left for our rented house that day with no great feeling of excitement. All arrangements for the blessing had been done and we all had to just reach the house on time the next day.

I got ready and drove with family to the house the next day. The house faced southwest. So when we approached the house, I could see the morning sun slowly coming up from behind the trees near the house. The sight of the house caught my attention. I noticed that the rays of the sun rising up from behind the house added to the beauty of the freshly painted walls of the house. The thick rows of Lindana on the topmost terrace and the table rose on the terrace just below were in full bloom. I had never seen the house so beautiful before. The blessing ceremony began soon. I moved further to the front of the picture of the Sacred Heart adorned with Jasmine flowers. I had seen that picture the day before too. But on that day the picture had a special glow around it. Never again in all these years have I seen that glow in that picture when I sat down before it to pray. I felt a sense of peace within me.

The gift! It suddenly occurred to me. The beautifully packed gift! I thanked God for the wonderful gift he had given our family. I felt special that day. HE had arranged things so beautifully, the glitter wrapping of the sun rays and rows of thickly blooming flowers as the pretty ribbons to remind me that I received a wonderful gift that day.