Tag Archives: kindness

The Gift of Giving

Mumof2.com_flowerpainting, gift of giving, mumof2

I haven’t had exactly what I would call the greatest June on record. I have, however, had many snippets and moments in time that I will remember for a very long time to come (for the right reasons!).

Some wise chap once told me a story that involved him trying to do something nice for someone.  They had wanted some equipment and he was very clued up on the item in question. He had gone off to research it and told them that he would buy it as a gift for them but they would have to wait for about a week.  He was also quite excited and knew it was something that they really wanted. He then got a message saying not to worry, they didn’t want to wait and had bought something that wasn’t as good and much more expensive than the one he was going to give them. All they had to do was wait 5 days and he knew it was not an urgent purchase. He was quite hurt and angry and explained that sometimes people forget the gift of giving. He had really wanted to give this gift and the feeling of doing something nice for someone else had been taken away.

It’s a story I have thought about a lot since I heard it and I recently was in the ‘receiver position’ as I call it. I had gone back to South Africa to see our family as my gran had passed away. It was a short visit as I needed to get back to the UK.

On my return flight, I had a little time at the airport lounge and was looking through a stand of paintings and drawings. I have been looking for a specific painting but have not had much luck in finding it.

The lady who owned the stand was just such a happy lady. She was from Mozambique and her and her brother had been doing the paintings together. We chatted and I hadn’t told her the reason for my trip but looking through her paintings that I hadn’t found ‘the one’. I have been looking for a painting for a while and whilst I liked her paintings, they wouldn’t fit in with the ones I had at home. We carried on chatting away.

Suddenly, she looked at me and asked if I had children. I answered yes, 2 boys. She then took me to some smaller paintings and said ‘I can’t have you leave without a painting – I would like to give you 2 as gifts’. I looked at her and thought ‘You are a complete stranger and don’t know me from a bar of salt, yet you are being so kind. You need this money and yet you are willing to give something for nothing’. I then remembered the conversation with the wise old chap about the gift of giving and then accepted her offer.

Together, we found the pastel drawing you see above that she had done herself. We looked to see if we could find another one but nothing really stood out like it and I said to her I was more than grateful for the one we had chosen. She wrapped it up very carefully so as not to get wet.

I flew the 15 hour journey still questioning how this person could have been so kind? Whenever I look at her painting, I am reminded of her actions and fully understand the gift of giving.

 

 

 

 

How 3 4yr olds made my day!

Gift, weeds, flower, pretty, mumof2.comYou would usually think that a 4 year old may make you a little crazy and that 2 4 year olds was a bit nuts and agreeing to look after 3 4 year olds at once would send me in search of the gin!

I have to say – it doesn’t and I look forward to the days when our son’s 2 friends come over for a play date. This past Wednesday we headed off in search of fun at Duxford Imperial War Museum as the sun was shining.

We were spoilt on arrival with a jet doing some aerobatics and the boys just squealed with delight! It was such a joy to watch their excitement and enthusiasm. What completely made my day was that each one of them went in search of these tiny daisy flowers (yes weeds to most) …they came up to me and asked me to close my eyes and gently placed a flower in the palm of my hand and then asked me to open my eyes.

Their faces were smiling and waiting in anticipation for my reaction and it was a priviledge that they chosen me to give their little gifts to. They would then run off and go in search of another one.

To some these are mere weeds but to me they were in a moment in time and so beautiful. I hope to remind them one day of how thoughtful, kind and complete gentlemen (yes age 4) they were.

Just before we left, the jet went back up and put on another display. One of the boys asked me why and I told him it was just for us. He again asked why and I said because we are so special. His face lit up again and with a big smile he said ‘ Just for us!’ and then ran off to tell the other 2 that it was doing tricks just for them.

Honoured that it was me that day.