The Gift of my Life

The Gift: Each year I read through my Bible, starting Genesis in January, completing Revelation in December. Yesterday I completed the Old Testament; today I started Matthew… reading the Christmas story… the gift of a baby… the gifts of the wise men – gold, frankincense and myrrh…

Musing… My life’s a gift.

The Box of Chocolates: Forest Gump famously said: ‘My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’

I didn’t choose my birth, its time or place. I didn’t choose my family, early childhood experiences, school, church upbringing… My life was a gift.

I’ve made many life changing decisions about career, marriage, faith, family, home… but the outcome of those decisions has been outside my control – the random chocolate in the gift of the box of chocolates.

Socks: As a child I learnt that I could say ‘thank you’ for a pair of socks, without being grateful…

Yesterday I walked along the beach, appreciated the sand and sea, saw the sunshine (and felt the rain!), chatted to family and friends, sat on the sofa, watched the birds in the garden. Yesterday’s gift of life; I’m grateful.

I went to ‘Singing for Health’. Some could see their life gift as the unwanted socks of disability or dementia; all were singing, playing their percussion instruments with a grateful smile.

Pass it on: ‘The History Boys’ follows a class of unruly, gifted history students preparing for university. The Old teacher, Hector, in his last lesson with them, concludes:

‘Pass the parcel. That’s sometimes all you can do. Take it, feel it, and pass it on. Not for me, not for you, but for someone, somewhere, one day. Pass it on, boys. That’s the game I want you to learn. Pass it on.’

The gift of my life – my home and family… health and strength… love joy, peace… skills and talents… faith and beliefs…  I can choose to keep to myself, or I can pass it on.