"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'." Groucho Marx
I seen to have lost the spirit of the season along the way and the whole gifting thing. I do subscribe to Stan’s view of encouraging personal interests, crafts/skills for the kids I buy for and hope to give them something that is of value over the monetary grand gestures. And with friends, I also hope to share the gifts of “myself” – time, expertise, experiences. that are uniquely from me. I am hoping that these gestures might reignite that spirit.
Gifts of pleasure and entertainment can be problematic. They may teach us that self-indulgence is essential to the human experience. Life. Happiness. Self-indulgence, however, can be problematic because it is a great obstacle to human relationships, our spiritual development and our deepest search for meaning, hope, etc.
Gifts that are desirable and encourage personal interests which potentially offer life-long value such as a craft or skill that help one be useful and helpful to others are of greater value.
Miracles and technology have at least two things in common, we overestimate them with great imagination. And we lack gratitude for their apparent lack of impact on our lives.
@faryna:disqus I love gifts that provide skills or encourage the use of thought. You can never receive too many books.Your points about gratitude are well made.
Irene December 10, 2014 at 4:47 pm
Great radio voice!
I seen to have lost the spirit of the season along the way and the whole gifting thing. I do subscribe to Stan’s view of encouraging personal interests, crafts/skills for the kids I buy for and hope to give them something that is of value over the monetary grand gestures. And with friends, I also hope to share the gifts of “myself” – time, expertise, experiences. that are uniquely from me. I am hoping that these gestures might reignite that spirit.
The JackB December 11, 2014 at 3:32 pm
@ionfooddrinklife:disqus The gift of time is a wonderful one to give. I wish more people understood how precious that is.
Stan Faryna December 10, 2014 at 2:31 pm
Gifts of pleasure and entertainment can be problematic. They may teach us that self-indulgence is essential to the human experience. Life. Happiness. Self-indulgence, however, can be problematic because it is a great obstacle to human relationships, our spiritual development and our deepest search for meaning, hope, etc.
Gifts that are desirable and encourage personal interests which potentially offer life-long value such as a craft or skill that help one be useful and helpful to others are of greater value.
Miracles and technology have at least two things in common, we overestimate them with great imagination. And we lack gratitude for their apparent lack of impact on our lives.
My two cents.
The JackB December 11, 2014 at 3:31 pm
@faryna:disqus I love gifts that provide skills or encourage the use of thought. You can never receive too many books.Your points about gratitude are well made.