The holiday season is pretty special. It’s the one time of year that everyone seems focused on one thing: giving. Whether it’s giving gifts to friends and family or making charitable donations to causes we’re passionate about, this season is all about doing for others.
There’s really nothing like seeing the expression on a loved one’s face when they open the present you gave them — that one thing you know they really wanted. The feeling of making a positive difference in someone’s life is so powerful. In reality — and we all know this to be true — giving to others is often as rewarding for the giver as it is the recipient.
The thing is, it’s so easy to give to others, but we do it so rarely. Gifts don’t have to be material, and making a difference isn’t limited to a dollars and change. Doing good for someone else can be as simple as picking up a bag someone dropped, or lending a hug or supporting ear during a tough time. Acts like giving someone a ride when their car breaks down, or offering to pick up the slack for a coworker if they’re having a rough day, are easy gifts to give, and they cost us nothing but our time.
What matters most in this world isn’t who gave the most expensive present one day out of the year. It’s about giving of ourselves whenever we are able. It’s about making sure we’re as decent and kind and generous as we can be every day.
Because the gifts that truly matter can’t really be wrapped. But they certainly do make a difference.