How do we choose the gifts we give?

The Artdog Quote of the Week

We can never give as much as a person can imagine, in material terms. That's because (to borrow a line from Han Solo) everyone "can imagine quite a lot," but we mere mortals are finite beings with finite resources, no matter what we might wish to give.

Of course, if the recipient can be expected only to calculate material value, we are talking about a very shallow soul, indeed. I hope you don't have too many of those on your list (if you do, perhaps you should consider a few life-changes in the New Year?).

For most of us, giving gifts out of obligation, perhaps, but we hope also with love or at least respect, the key is thinking our way through to finding a personalized expression of our understanding of that person. That is rarely easy, and the effort should be valued far more greatly than we usually do.

If you're still on the quest for those perfect gifts, I wish you good hunting.

IMAGE: Many thanks to PeaceFlash, via QuotesGram.

Artdog Quote of the Week: The Greatest Christmas Gift

Last Monday I shared a quote and talked about reaching out to others whom we may not appreciate. 

But for mortals such as us, time is a finite thing. With whom should we spend most of that finite resource? 

We probably all have heard the quote from Rabbi Kushner, "Nobody on their deathbed has ever said, 'I wish I had spent more time at the office.'" 

How does that apply to your life? 

Ted Andressen had wise
words for a younger
colleague in a recent
episode of Nightwatch.

I recently saw a practical expression of this, on a reality TV show called Nightwatch (on A&E), in which an older Paramedic was talking with a younger one about balancing work and life. He'd been married for a long time, had a wife whom he still loved, and grown kids who respected him. 

The younger man had a new baby, and was working a lot of hours. As young fathers do, he probably was worried about money. But the wise older man told him to pay attention to the important things. 

That may not be you: no young baby, no wife or husband, no money issues. You may be in a different phase of life, and worried about different things. 

But are you telling your loved ones each day how much they mean to you? Are you taking time to focus and listen, not just talk about your own problems? Or worse, are you not talking at all?

Christmas (or any of the other holidays) can be hectic, and the time and money pressure can be fierce. But just as we are wise not to get too caught up in the trap of thinking that we can have a "perfect" Christmas if only we decorate, bake, send cards, etc., we also are wise to realize that a downsized Christmas gift list, if it allows us to be with our loved ones more, is the better choice. 

Christmas decorations and projects can be
fun--until they become just too much!

My sister Gigi and I once made an agreement that we would never let things become more important to us than people. And we are both happier for that decision.

May it be so for you, too. The blessings of Christmas or any holiday lie not in the piles of loot we might receive , but in the moments of true connection we can make. 

IMAGE: Many thanks to Short Stories LOVE for the quote image, to A&E's Nightwatch website for the photo of Ted Andressen, and the photo of "Rustic Christmas Decorations" from NewsCommonSense.

Artdog Quote of the Week: The Most Important Gifts

Last Monday I talked about gifts from God, and the value of creative work in our all-too-unimaginative world. 

But there's another kind of extremely important gift that we must never forget to give.

Never take the people who love you for granted. They, too, are God's gifts to you, and if you fail to appreciate them while they are in your life, you will lose something of untold worth. 

In every stage of life we are given the gifts of others' love or regard. And in every stage of life we can either cherish the gift or spurn it. 

For many of us, the Holidays are a time of having to "put up" with irritating relatives. Sometimes there truly is just no salvaging the relationship. In those cases, the most healthy, loving thing you can do is to step back, to disengage. 

But in many cases, it's a matter of failing to communicate. Before you turn and walk away, make sure you've done your best to reach out in love, to listen, and try to understand. The other may never be your favorite person, but if you can make a positive connection, it can ease a lot of burdens, and avert a lot of regrets. 

I wish you the best of success, and the best of Holidays.

IMAGE: Many thanks to QuotesJunk.

Artdog Quote of the Week: Love Doesn't Hurt

It's mid-week after a lot of "special features," but that doesn't me we don't need our Quote of the Week. 

I particularly like this one.

Have you reached out in love to your fellow creatures today?

IMAGE: Many thanks to Searchquotes for this image.

Artdog Quote of the Week

IMAGE CREDIT: Many thanks to Wedding Photography + Design.