I love wrapping presents, but I am not very good at it. I do not like when the paper doesn't lay flat and tight to the package, and I have become convinced that I am not using the right quality of wrapping paper. I have 2 aunts who wrap packages most beautifully...to the point that the packages themselves are works of art. (It's no wonder my Nana used to take so long unwrapping presents at Christmas!!) My presents do not look like that - even when I use gift bags!
On Monday, I was having a conversation about how I am a gift (as is each person) whose value is not determined by the person who receives the present. You see, I can see myself as a gift in the company of certain people - because they value me like a gift. But there are others who I have a hard time feeling valuable around...am I still a gift then?
The answer to that question is yes. My value is not determined by others (or a number as I discussed in my previous post) or by what I do. I am a gift because I am intentional, personal, thoughtful, and so much more. I am a gift whether I choose to use those attributes in certain settings or not. (I can be present without being a gift...I am LOVING that play on words.)
Now, even as I'm typing this entry, I am struggling with the words. I get that I have value and am a gift no matter who I am with or where I am. But...I get that more theoretically than I do practically. It's hard to embrace that reality in the midst of a situation where you don't feel valuable.
Now back to the conversation on Monday...the person I was talking to said that there are specific situations you can't help what mirror you see your reflection in - like when you are a child growing up: Your family is the best way to see your reflection, and the values and priorities that are emphasized are seen when you look at yourself. Then, she went on to say (I kid you not!)...
As you get older, you have to figure out what mirror you are going to look in to see yourself. Sometimes the mirrors we are around most often do not accurately reflect back to us who we are, what we value, and where, in fact, our value lies. When we find ourselves in those situations, you have to find a better mirror.
A Better Mirror. This was said by someone who does not know I write this blog. And that is how I know I am on the right path in life. I am talking with and putting myself in situations where I am being encouraged to find a way to see my true reflection: A Better Mirror.
So, when I think of myself as a gift, and I'm not happy with how I'm gift-wrapped or how the edges aren't crisp or the decorations aren't perfect, I need to remember that I can choose to find a different way of looking at myself...I need to search out the mirror that truly reflects who I am.
