I want to dance like the girls on the Target commercial, the two girls setting up their dorm room. I’ve thought this more than just once. I really want to dance like that.
But really, I have a question for you, dear reader.
Lets say, you were in the habit of giving lovely gifts to friends and family. The people you give gifts to know that you always give pretty stinkin good gifts. Lets say though, that you come to a party and have gifts for many of the people there.
However, this one couple or individual says to you, “No, I (or, we, as the case may be) really am not into your gift right now. I (we) have a lot of things already and I’m (we’re) not sure what we would do with any more gifts”
You’re kinda stunned but you re-offer your gift. But they continue in their blowing you off. (I know, you’re shocked that someone could behave this way! But really it has happened and I want to know what you think.)
So after the get together, you pack up your stuff and the present that didn’t get given. You continue to have a nice friendship with this person (these people). Every time they talk to you or see you they act as if nothing awkward has occured, so for now, you don’t mention it.
But then out of the blue, they call you and ask if you could give them the gift.
“What the heck?!?” You think to yourself: “And what was wrong with just taking it when I had it to give? They think I just have it sitting around my house and now I’m going to run right over and give it to them. They know how I like to wrap gifts and that I feel the wrapping it is part of the gift. But now they expect that the present is still looking good after being shuffled from room to room?
“Okay fine, I’ll give them the present no matter what. It was a gift to them after all.” You say to yourself choking down your pride.
So you go over and you give them the present. They get all excited and thank you profusely and tell everyone about it. You smile sweetly and are happy they are happy.
But then a couple of years later nearly the same thing happens. And since the first incident, you find out that they have criticized the first present to all your friends. And you see for yourself that they haven’t taken very good care of it.
Now I know we are supposed to just give gifts and not attach strings to them. The blessing is the giving. But come on, if this happened to you, and happened more than once, what would you think, or feel?
