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| Amy Carmichael with children (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. ~ Amy Carmichael
To love someone is to give them yourself. You may bring delight by giving a loved one material possessions. Giving experiences and opening doors of opportunities can greatly enhance a relationship with another. You can give money, shelter, food, and help to those you love. You can give much to show another that you love them, but one of the best gifts is your time.
Sharing a weekend, an hour, or even a few minutes are ways to show someone that you care for them. Time is a meaningful investment that is very personal, helping to bring more closeness to those we love. Talking, listening, or just being quiet together.
The elderly or anyone who is shut in due to illness or disability especially wants and needs someone willing to give them some time. Those we loved when they were in prime shape may seem more of a hassle when they no longer can get around, but remember when they gave their time to us. Our love for them should never diminish as they become what may seem as more of a burden to those around them.
And never forget the children. They are so easy to please when they are small. It's not really so much about the things we can give them, but the memories we leave them. When we give ourselves as part of the heritage of good memories they carry into adulthood we are not only giving to them, but to their children as well.
What we give to others is the tangible expression of our love for them.
Who have you spent time with that rewarded you as much as it did them? What are some of the best gifts you have received from loved ones? Is there someone who you love that needs to hear from you?
What we give to others is the tangible expression of our love for them.
Who have you spent time with that rewarded you as much as it did them? What are some of the best gifts you have received from loved ones? Is there someone who you love that needs to hear from you?
