It seems backward, certainly ironic, but you can only have what you give. See what I mean in this week’s edition of “Isn’t That Ironic?”.
My granddaughter was reluctant to sit on my lap.
“Grampa, I’m sick. I don’t want you to catch what I have,” she said.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m not that old and feeble. I’m not going to let a few germs stop me from hugging my grandchildren,” I said.
So, she dutifully climbed onto my lap. She was getting almost too big for it—a little awkward. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her boney frame.
“Ah, that’s my little girl. But not quite so little anymore!”
She giggled.
“Have you made some new friends at your new school,” I asked?
“A few,” she replied.
“If you want to have friends, be a friend—to everyone,” I said.
“If you want to receive love, give love—to everyone. It’s a funny paradox of life, but we don’t really feel the love we receive. Oh, it’s nice when people treat you kindly. But the love we really feel, is the love we give away. Love is like energy, as and the energy of love flows through us, it warms us up. It’s kind of like the electricity flowing through that heater over there. The heater warms up when the energy runs through it. Love is like the energy of God. When we let love flow through us, we feel it’s warmth. And we can never run out of it! There’s an infinite amount of love that just keeps coming forever. We give and give and give love and never run out.”
It’s a good reminder for all of us. We only really have what we give to others. If you want to have peace—give peace. If you want to have love—give love. If you want to have justice—give justice, to everyone.
On this Thanksgiving weekend (in Canada), we can apply the same principle to thankfulness. Although it seems ironic—even paradoxical—if you want to have things to be thankful for, you must start by giving thanks. Even if you aren’t feeling very thankful right now, start by giving thanks. Count your blessings, as we used to say. You will soon realize how much you really do have to be thankful for. You will start to feel thankful.
It’s ironic, but give first, then you will have. Happy Thanksgiving!
God Bless You!
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