The Daily G.I.F.T. from The GratiDude

Less shopping and more feeling this Season. Remember the reason, Bruh.

www.grateful4.org

Gratitude

Intention

First

Things

The G.I.F.T. Today

Grateful: to be comfortable with the truth like Dr. Ruth

Intention-open up the muse energy today for next few weeks and tell stories as they come up

First-confirm Bean logistics for rehearsal

Things-couple calls

Morning Meditation from The GratiDude

What’s neat about giving a thoughtful gift to somebody is the reaction when they put it together and connect the dots as to what you must’ve gone through to make it happen.

At that moment, they feel special.

Isn’t that everything?

Isn’t that anything and everything you could ever want to do simply as a friend?

To provide that moment and that feeling that we all crave of being recognized and feeling special.

Because deep down we know that we are!

Come over here you stardust encrusted cosmic Godly Sister! Gimme a hug!

This is the reason I really enjoy handwritten notes and little gifts. I love giving a little present that reminds me of a person or speaks to something about our connection that only the two of us may understand or appreciate.

It’s an inside thing at that point wink, wink.

Also, when you give someone a gift, it lets them know that even when they’re just off doing their own thing, living their life, taking care of other people doing their stuff and their chores somewhere somebody in this case, you were utilizing your energy in a loving way, thinking about them and hatching a plan to create a moment of happiness for them.

That’s incredible, right?

If that doesn’t make you feel special, what will?

Take a moment and think back over the last couple of years if you have been fortunate to receive a letter or a card or a note or even a gift from someone that you didn’t expect to receive something from or the particular item or note or gift was touching or meaningful in a unique way for you.

Yes, giving gifts can have physical health benefits, including:

Lower blood pressure: Giving gifts can lower blood pressure and heart rate, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Improved immune system: Generosity can boost your immune system.

Reduced stress: Giving gifts can reduce stress and anxiety levels.

Better sleep: The feel-good chemicals released when giving gifts can help you sleep better.

Reduced aches and pains: The feel-good chemicals released when giving gifts can help reduce aches and pains.

Giving gifts can also have mental health benefits, including:

Improved mood: Giving gifts can boost your mood and happiness.

Increased self-esteem: Giving gifts can boost your self-esteem.

Reduced depression: Giving gifts can lessen depression.

Improved social connections: Giving gifts can strengthen your social connections.

Giving gifts can also be a wonderful way to practice empathy and intuition.

You can make the gift more meaningful by giving it to someone who needs it or has accomplished a goal.

Like trying their hardest every day.

That deserves a gift!

I have a few things that come to mind over the last brief period of life and the very best of the gifts that I received was used.

It was nowhere near new and would not be valued if it were sold on eBay, but it held tremendous value for me.

They were baseball uniform jerseys from our travel baseball teams in Ann Arbor when I was 15 and 16 years old coached by the late and great Paul Helber.

The Helber kids knew how much Paul meant to me, how he was a father figure for me and there for me at my toughest times and even came to my father‘s memorial service and gave me a hug that I’ll never forget, and he told me he loved me.

I had never seen Coach Helber look sad, or not be in total control of a situation like that. I’ll never forget that day, and specifically in that moment, that hug on August 3, 1984.

Going through all his old stuff, the kids of Paul Helber up in Ann Arbor, Tim Helber and his Bros and Sister, came upon Coach Helber’s old baseball jerseys he would coach in, pitch batting practice in, and we would win games in.

Helber’s teams ALWAYS won, and EVERY kid wanted to play on a team that was coached by Paul Helber, Hockey, or Baseball.

He was a legend, and the whole town wanted to come out for his Memorial Service held at Zion Lutheran Church on Liberty Street, in the neighborhood I grew up in.

(Zion Lutheran Church has a bell tower, and in the 70s and 80s, the bells rang every single day at 6 pm. That’s how I knew it was time to go home for dinner. Seriously, I used those bells a thousand times. BTW, they love their music at this church, check it out: https://zlc-aa.org/music)

When the Jerseys showed up, they were from two teams: The Beer Depot Rogues and J&W Painting. I loved being a 15-year-old being sponsored by The Beer Depot, who unbeknownst to the Coaches, also would sell weed to you in the drive through if you knew what kind of “beer” to ask for ; It WAS the eighties after all….

Those Teams were some of the best in the State of Michigan, and Great Lakes Region for that matter. We were just one Pitcher away from running the table, ha ha(cue “Glory Days” by Springsteen, poor kid peaked at 15 😊!).

As we move into the holidays, it’s a good reminder that we don’t need to rush to the store or hit up Amazon to create a last-minute gift opportunity for people we love.