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The Gift Of Receiving

Written by: Laura Posey

Article Overview: Every family has one. That one person who shoulders all the family burdens, keeps the family secrets and cleans up the family messes. The one who is everyone’s sounding board and shoulder to cry on. The one who remembers all the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. The one around whom the family always gathers. In my family, it’s my grandma. She has been the rock in my family for as long as anyone can remember.

The Gift Of Receiving

Every family has one. That one person who shoulders all the family burdens, keeps the family secrets and cleans up the family messes. The one who is everyone’s sounding board and shoulder to cry on. The one who remembers all the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. The one around whom the family always gathers.

In my family, it’s my grandma. She has been the rock in my family for as long as anyone can remember.

As a child of two working parents, I spent many days and nights at Grandma’s house, soaking in her wisdom (not always willingly, I’ll admit) and her generosity. She always made the best sandwiches and kept my favorite foods on hand. She taught me right from wrong, proper manners at the table and in front of company and she always made sure I knew I was loved.

Grandma made sure every holiday was done right with plenty of great food and hospitality. It was to her house that everyone journeyed and gathered. Even her older siblings all came by to see her after they had their own family feasts. It was unimaginable that anyone else would be the central point for a family holiday.

Grandma is also the family caretaker. Whenever someone was sick, hurt or just needed a hand with work, she was there. She nursed her older siblings through the last years of their lives just as she did with my grandfather who died 35 years ago.

A few weeks ago, Grandma was diagnosed with a brain tumor which required immediate surgery.

The surgery has left her unable to move either leg or her left arm. There is hope that as the swelling in her brain goes down that she’ll regain use of them. Right now she faces a long road of physical therapy, a daunting task at any age, but particularly challenging at 85.

The hardest part of all of this is that she is now the one who needs to be taken care of. She has had to give up control and let others help her. She who has always been the giver must now be open to receiving.

I tell you this story for two reasons.

First, remember to hug the ones you love as often as you can. Tell them how much you love them even if, like Grandma, they don’t seem to need it. That goes for your clients too. Tell them you love them!

Second, many of you who read this blog are strong-willed people like Grandma who don’t take help from others easily. Get over it. If someone offers you something, even if it is simply a cup of coffee, practice saying ‘yes’ and taking it. Remember, other people like to give, too, and it doesn’t work if no one receives.

I know this experience is traumatic for Grandma and I wouldn’t have wished it on her in a million years. I hope, though, that through it she learns just how loved she is and that there can be joy in receiving gifts of kindness as well as giving them.

Here’s to you, Grandma, and those strong-willed folks like you. May you show us all just what you are made of.

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Article Tags: marketing, motivation, sales, sales tips, small business



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