The Art of Receiving

"Receiving isn’t easy. If it were, more of us would do it with grace and gratitude. Is there a way to change that? Can we learn to receive so we can be nourished and empowered? These are crucial questions, not just because the holiday season is a time when giving and receiving are part of our daily experience. The ability to receive is, in fact, essential to physical health, psychological ­balance and spiritual engagement." [Ode magazine, The Art of Receiving]

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” [Winston Churchill]

"At a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island, Kurt Vonnegut informs his pal, Joseph Heller, that their host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his wildly popular novel Catch-22 over its whole history. Heller responds, "Yes, but I have something he will never have ... enough." [John Bogle, Enough]

[image of butter angels from FINI window in Modena, Italy]

Comments

[Suzanna Stinnett]

THANK YOU, for bringing up this important subject. It is a little sore point for me, because I've experienced giving when the recipient just... couldn't. Even Einstein didn't do the math on this one, when he said that giving was more worthy than receiving. It's basic. Really. Without one to receive, the giver is thwarted. Besides, reciprocity can be seen in the infinity symbol. I'm assuming this post came from you, Valeria, and once again you've touched a cultural nerve with a point worth expanding. Thank you, and thanks to everyone out there who is graciously receiving acts of love, tokens of appreciation, and all the random gratitude that is looking for a heart to call home. Remember, to receive, all you really have to do is say "Thank you." smiles.
Suzanna

[Valeria Maltoni]

Suzanna, indeed we have a great responsibility in receiving. When I am back home (I still call it home... Italians are much better at receiving) with my mother, I see the kindness of gratitude and touch it in first person. She prepares these cards with special inspirational messages and lets people select one at random as they meet during the holidays. The hand crafted card and the message become the starting point (or social object) for a connection. I can only hope to be half the student with such a great teacher. Thank you for expanding the conversation.

[Deborah Chaddock Brown]

Thanks for the quote on receiving graciously. It reminded me of a sad story which I wrote about on Make or Break Moments: http://www.makeorbreakmoments.com/2008/12/26/just-say-thank-you/

A simple "thank you" with a smile and a handshake are really all that is necessary.

Whether we are receiving kind words or thoughtful gifts, a simple, sincere thanks allows the giver to enjoy their experience all the more!

Deborah

[Joy-Mari]

This can be extended to customers and businesses. Businesses should learn to accept a thank you as graciously as receiving a complaint.

Some business owners are flummoxed when they receive a thank you -- they just don't know how to handle it. And that then makes me feel like an alien ;)

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Deborah - knowing when to be silent and accepting is as important as knowing when to speak up - actually more.

@Joy-Mari - could it be because of stress? People are so defensive and "closed" sometimes...