Holistic Feathers

Reflection: Free gifts

We most often see this phrase ‘free gifts’ in association with some offer or another to persuade us to buy more, or buy things we do not really need. To me, those two words together have become ‘tarnished’ by this association, a bit tacky perhaps.

(This post is reproduced in full from my dear friend’s newsletter – Mary Lunnen is a gifted lifecoach and author, living in beautiful Cornwall.  It is reproduced with full permission from Mary – www.daretoblossom.co.uk)

Thinking about it, that seems sad. Freedom, free will, and being free in all its aspects are wonderful things. Gifts are just that. Why ‘free gift’ anyway? If something is a gift there should be no charge in any case. Is this because so many ‘gifts’ come with strings attached? If I give this gift…this person will love me more, this person will think I am generous, this person will admire my generosity? (Or this person will be drawn in to buy more of my products.)

I had a wonderful experience of a truly ‘free’ gift recently. Driving to work on a grey, wet Monday morning, thinking about challenges to come and perhaps anticipating problems, I was jolted out of this state of mind by a sudden ‘wow!’ as I drove round a corner and was stunned by a brilliant rainbow. It was almost dazzling in its brightness against the black clouds; it was a perfect bow and had a double as a paler but also perfect partner.

That wow moment gave me such a buzz of gratitude and a huge reminder of all the ‘free gifts’ around me every day. Some do not jump out at me quite so dramatically but they are there all the same.

Since then I have begun to notice every day all the gifts I receive if I keep my eyes and mind open. One day there was a stunning view of a slate grey, mirror-like sea, the dark clouds towering above, and the sun’s rays breaking out above the clouds – another ‘wow’ moment.

The bird song in the mornings now spring is coming is another gift, as is the sound of frogs croaking in our garden pond. One day this week I was working in a church hall, old and a bit shabby, but lovingly cared for and clean.  Then I noticed a tiny vase of snowdrops on a shelf in a corner, seemingly out of place in such a large room, another gift from nature and placed there by a person unknown to me.

For you:  some questions to think and/or write about in your journal:

• Are there gifts in your life you are too busy to notice?
• If you think at the end of each day about all the gifts you have been given since sunrise, how does that make you feel?
• Can you give small ‘gifts’ to others to improve their day?

Writing this the phrase ‘random acts of kindness’ came to my mind and I had a look online. There is a beautiful video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvG1iVw8IjQ

… and some interesting websites: www.actsofkindness.org/, and www.helpothers.org. Also the ‘Pay it forward’ book and film, which generated a similar movement: www.payitforwardmovement.org.

I have renewed my resolve to do the best I can to ensure that my presence in the world is more positive than negative (at the same time as allowing myself to be humanly grumpy and imperfect at times!).

For those of us who think we cannot make a difference, I love this quote:

“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito” ~ Betty Reese

And another – very topical at the moment in the UK!

“A snowflake is one of God’s most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!”  ~ Author Unknown

(Both from www.quotegarden.com)

Publication of my latest book: Cervical Cancer: The Essential Guide

Regular readers will know that last year I celebrated by first commission to write a book. I now have the pleasure of holding a copy of Cervical Cancer: The Essential Guide in my hands.

The publishers have done a great job with the editing and presentation, and it is available in print or e-book form from www.need2knowbooks.co.uk (or from online booksellers or book shops).

The Need2Know website describes it this way:

“Approximately 3,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. Awareness is on the increase, with many women wanting to arm themselves with accurate information.

This no-nonsense guide gives you clear facts about cervical cancer, explaining in detail the screening process, why regular check-ups are important and how to overcome the physical and emotional challenges that cervical cancer can bring.

Written by a survivor of cervical cancer, this sensitive book takes women through the entire process: from check-ups and diagnosis, through to treatment options and aftercare. Practical strategies for supporting relatives are included, together with advice for parents and teachers wanting to talk to young people about the risks.”

I have had good feedback so far from people who have read it and I hope that it will help those who read it, women themselves, and their families and friends.

(c) Mary Lunnen – Dare to  Blossom