#222 – What's the true purpose of presents?

As a kid, my parents' questions about what I wanted for my birthday or Christmas made me mad – "They should know what I want," I thought.

Years later, when I realized I wasn't able to read my son's mind (surprise!), I resorted to the same question. In his shrugging "I don't know!," I heard the same frustration I'd harbored towards my parents.

Why do we ask people what they want as presents? Why don't we dare to give them something we think they'll like/use/enjoy/need? And, is it even okay to give them what we want for them?

A few hours before Valentine's Day (and my husband's birthday), I reflect on the nervousness I feel about what I've gotten him.

How will he feel about the gift? What will the gift make him feel about me? What idea of me will my present create in his mind?

When my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, a friend gave them an elegant pewter dish, with the price tag attached – it was expensive.

My mother took offense – "does she think I won't recognize high quality when I see it?"

But it wasn't her True Self who wanted my mother to see how much money she'd paid. It was her Ghost of Need to Prove making sure my parents saw her as a generous, elegant, and wealthy person.

Ahead of Valentine's Day, I ask you:

What are you trying to do with your presents to someone you love?

Love,

Carolina