Aria kicked off her soccer season with new shoes and brownies to share with the other girls. She is rather insistent that every game needs a treat. That desire to bring joy has now spread to the practices as well as games. I cannot resist baking, nor these girls' smiles. Brownies are an easy gift to give and receive.
Something that I introspect about often is the gifts that are a bit less sugary and palatable. Gifts that take grace, patience and acceptance to learn or master. Gifts that sometimes take years and distance to receive with understanding.
Some of my finest qualities, I fancy, come from lessons learned (often painfully) and intentional growth. I was not taught self-love as a child. Some things from healthy boundaries to asserting my own needs (especially when they conflicted with another's) was often messaged as selfish. Loving myself well has been a gift I've given myself as I've grown. It is also a gift I do my best to instill in my daughter.
This snippet from Mary Oliver has lingered in my thoughts lately. I find her to be brilliant.
“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.” - Mary Oliver
The Wailin' Jennies - Untitled
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