When it came time to celebrate a couple of friends’ birthdays at High Mesa Healing Center, the subject of gifts came up, of course. Usually this group gets together for birthdays at a local restaurant where we enjoy a meal and then open cards and presents – little things like candles or earrings. For Willy’s and Zoe’s birthdays we did something different. Both women decided they would rather the group donate to their favorite charities. Cards are precious but I know personally I have great difficulty throwing these away, so consequently I have boxes of sentimental greetings that I’ve collected and stored over the years.
When I was told the wish was to not receive these cards or little gifts, but that we would donate whatever we could to the Food Bank and the Humane Society, I was impressed and pleased. We gathered at Barbara’s home out on the deck and all shared a salad potluck lunch. Everyone brought something different and all the dishes were delicious. We had a carrot salad, shrimp salad, mozzarella and tomato bowl, cole slaw, chicken salad with crackers, home-grown tomatoes, and other wonderful salads. After we finished our lunch we sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed home-made carrot cake. The donations were collected in beautifully-wrapped little boxes with slits on the top. Willy and Zoe took their donations and a last piece of birthday cake and that’s all. We all agreed this is how we will celebrate our birthdays from now on. The gift of Giving is the best gift of all!
