There, I said it.
I'm a regifter.
Born into it.
Lived it my whole life.
Delving deep into my psyche would probably discover the reasons why.
I came from a large family where money was always a scarce commodity.
I didn't find any joy in buying birthday presents for my friends. That shopping "trip" went like this:
"Mom, Kathee invited me to her birthday party Saturday."
"OK, let's look in the closet and see what I have."
I didn't discover the joy of shopping for others until years later.
And even then, somehow I didn't realize that when I regifted I was robbing them of the pleasure of giving.
I always opened a gift with one thought lingering in the back of my mind, "Who could I give this to?", thus saving me that elusive spare cash for mundane things like rent, food, doctor bills.
In the last few years, this has happily changed for me.
I opened boxes containing earrings, pulling them off their cardboard backing and putting them on. I uncorked the bottles of wine and consumed them. I delved into the cookies and candies. I took the scarves and gloves and ripped off the tags and started wearing them. I proudly wrote my name inside the books, forever removing the temptation to regift them. I used the Starbucks card, instead of sending it on to a friend. I lit the candles.
I opened.
I used.
I enjoyed.
I have seen the light----I now consider myself a reformed regifter------because I am worth all these gifts chosen just for me!
My favorite quote from Dr. Northrup:
I do enough
I have enough
I AM enough
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Sunday, January 04, 2009
RESOLVED: To Be Present
For several years now, I have realized the importance of "being in the moment"----to "be present" no matter what I am doing.
This was illustrated quite profoundly last week when I went to Sea World with our daughter and three grandgirls.
There was a young man sitting in the row in front of us at the Viva show.
Quite the multitasker he was.
With one hand he had his camcorder pointed at the action on the stage (or should I say water). The other hand was busily texting away on his cellphone. Somehow he had his map of the park spread across his lap, and was studying that, too.
Yeah, he thinks. When I get home tonight I can watch the tape.
What he didn't realize was something I could easily see sitting in the elevated seat behind him. The camcorder was pointed so that the heads of the performer had been cut off. What he was videotaping was virtually worthless.
He had missed the show, both live, and later, on tape.
How many of us go through life like this?
When I was much younger and my now grown-children-with-children-of-their-own were young, I wished much of their life away. When they learned to (fill in the blank----sleep through the night, walk, talk......) life would be easier. Always wanting them to fast forward through whatever awkward stage they were going through.
How much joy and happiness I let slip through my fingers.
With the sand in my hourglass fuller on the bottom these days, I strive not to make that error with what time I have left.
Resolve to be present in your life in 2009!
This was illustrated quite profoundly last week when I went to Sea World with our daughter and three grandgirls.
There was a young man sitting in the row in front of us at the Viva show.
Quite the multitasker he was.
With one hand he had his camcorder pointed at the action on the stage (or should I say water). The other hand was busily texting away on his cellphone. Somehow he had his map of the park spread across his lap, and was studying that, too.
Yeah, he thinks. When I get home tonight I can watch the tape.
What he didn't realize was something I could easily see sitting in the elevated seat behind him. The camcorder was pointed so that the heads of the performer had been cut off. What he was videotaping was virtually worthless.
He had missed the show, both live, and later, on tape.
How many of us go through life like this?
When I was much younger and my now grown-children-with-children-of-their-own were young, I wished much of their life away. When they learned to (fill in the blank----sleep through the night, walk, talk......) life would be easier. Always wanting them to fast forward through whatever awkward stage they were going through.
How much joy and happiness I let slip through my fingers.
With the sand in my hourglass fuller on the bottom these days, I strive not to make that error with what time I have left.
Resolve to be present in your life in 2009!
Thursday, January 01, 2009
The Start of 2009
Ah, come on friends, you KNOW there is a story here!
Spent the last day of 2008 at Sea World here in San Antonio with our daughter and three grandgirls, aged 3-7. We stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way for our traditional breakfast. After Sea World was done, we met her hubby (who had to work) at one of the first restaurants they ever took me to, "Cha Cha's".
Started with their premium margaritas at $27 per pitcher. They are simply the best margarita I've ever had. Smooth as silk.
Then on to the chips and nicely spiced salsa.
Gorditas were next, served with beans and rice. One ground beef, one pork.
Good stuff.
Got home about 7pm Suddenly extremely tired -- and can you believe that walking around Sea World for 6 hours only got me 7,000 steps on my new pedometer?
Decided to forgo any New Years Eve's festivities, and went to bed.
Woke up at 5 minutes after the beginning of the new year praying........to the porcelain god in the bathroom. Well, actually I was sitting on the porcelain throne with a bucket (the wastebasket) in my lap.
First the margaritas
Then the breakfast
Then the mexican food
Crawled back into bed, only to repeat the whole scenario every 20-30 minutes through the night.
Soon it was once an hour, and now I am pleased to report it's been three hours since any incidents.
I have consumed a bottle of water, a bottle of gatorade and six saltine crackers.
Think this could be the start of a new diet for 2009?
Hope your New Years Day started with much more fun than did mine.
Happy New Year!
Susan
Spent the last day of 2008 at Sea World here in San Antonio with our daughter and three grandgirls, aged 3-7. We stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way for our traditional breakfast. After Sea World was done, we met her hubby (who had to work) at one of the first restaurants they ever took me to, "Cha Cha's".
Started with their premium margaritas at $27 per pitcher. They are simply the best margarita I've ever had. Smooth as silk.
Then on to the chips and nicely spiced salsa.
Gorditas were next, served with beans and rice. One ground beef, one pork.
Good stuff.
Got home about 7pm Suddenly extremely tired -- and can you believe that walking around Sea World for 6 hours only got me 7,000 steps on my new pedometer?
Decided to forgo any New Years Eve's festivities, and went to bed.
Woke up at 5 minutes after the beginning of the new year praying........to the porcelain god in the bathroom. Well, actually I was sitting on the porcelain throne with a bucket (the wastebasket) in my lap.
First the margaritas
Then the breakfast
Then the mexican food
Crawled back into bed, only to repeat the whole scenario every 20-30 minutes through the night.
Soon it was once an hour, and now I am pleased to report it's been three hours since any incidents.
I have consumed a bottle of water, a bottle of gatorade and six saltine crackers.
Think this could be the start of a new diet for 2009?
Hope your New Years Day started with much more fun than did mine.
Happy New Year!
Susan
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