Unopened Gifts

 

When the Christmas party is over, the space under the tree is empty with all the gifts replaced by torn bows and scattered shreds of wrapping paper.  Children are delighted with their new toys, but also sad to realize there are no more presents waiting for them.  They peek under the tree, just to be sure, but no unopened gifts remain.  Christmas is over for another year.

A few years ago, I had the unique experience of taking classes with a group of young teachers the age of my daughters.  It was interesting to hear them talk about their lives—their husbands, children, homes, and parents.  From the unique perspective of having done these things, their comments sounded like something I might have said years ago.

“I don’t know what to do about Nathan.  He grabs everything off the Christmas tree and turns it into a missile!” “My dad kept the kids yesterday. He let the baby take a four-hour nap!  I didn’t get her to bed until midnight!” “We’ve decided to go ahead a build.  Our house just isn’t big enough anymore.”

Hearing all of this, I realized I’d already traveled most of those roads.  I’ve moved in—and out—of many houses over the years and often felt that our family was crowded into unbearably small spaces.  I survived the terrible two’s—three times! —and watched those same kids go through school, graduate from college, become established in their careers, and start their own families.  I’d long-since bid a final good-bye to the loving grandparents who babysat whenever I needed someone to watch my girls.

Listening to these young twenty-somethings, I felt as though I’d turned on a video of my life.  This encounter reminded me that life is a gift.  All of it!  The days spent raising young children, the plans for making a home, the time shared with aging parents, the steps along a career—every single minute is a gift.

At this stage in my life, I’ve opened many of the gifts the young people in my class were just receiving.  However, unlike Christmas morning when all gifts have been opened and there are no more, life, as they say, is the gift that keeps on giving.  Each new day is a gift!  Every stage of life is filled with wonderful gifts!

Graduating from college and starting a career is exciting and leads to unexpected destinations.  Marriage and raising a family present new challenges, but along with that comes blessings that far exceed the amount of work involved.  Middle age is a wonderful time as many of life’s earlier responsibilities have lessened and we have more time for career-building, volunteering, or exploring new areas of interest.  Retirement presents its own array of new gifts – time for friends, hobbies, travel.  This is a short list of the myriad of gifts we find at every stage as we advance through life.

The gifts we’ve already opened are precious memories.  The unopened gifts that remain are new opportunities. Resolutions tend to focus on self-improvement, thereby implying the need for changing a negative trait—hence the reason they are usually short-lived. This January, instead of spending time compiling a list of silly resolutions that will soon be forgotten, think about possibilities.

Begin 2017 by thinking about the positives instead of focusing on the negatives.  Each of the 365 days in the New Year is a gift waiting to be opened.  What surprises are in store?  What challenges will arise?  What new things will we learn or skills can we develop?  What would we try if we knew we could not fail?  Let’s make the New Year a new beginning with the excitement of a kid opening the next Christmas present.