As I write, I am wedged between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The delete button on my laptop is getting an all day workout emptying my mailbox!
Maybe your done shopping by now. I haven’t started yet.
Wait, let me take that back. I started my gift giving on Thanksgiving. Weird huh? We have a tradition in our family that allows us to give our best gift first.
The gift of our voice.
After we eat our thanksgiving meal, we take turns sharing what we are thankful for in the year. The sentiments shared brought laughter and tears. More importantly, it reminded us how fortunate we are to have each other.
I found the perfect gift for you
The perfect gift is inside you. It’s your voice. The expression of your true self. Others need to hear your voice. You need it too.
Many of us struggle using our voice. I know I do. Sometimes the negative voice in my head gets in the way. I think people won’t find me interesting, that I am not smart, etc…
The only way to fix this for me is to get out of my head and into my heart– to get back in touch with my true self. Within this space I find my voice again, then look for opportunity to express it.
Your voice is a gift to yourself
The perfect gift to yourself is owning your voice. Not the voice others expect that you feel obligated to speak. I’m talking about your authentic voice. Giving expression to your own thoughts, ideas, and intentions. Being free within to be in touch with emotion and sentiment, then giving it a voice.
“The human voice is the organ of the soul.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Your voice is a gift to your family
What my 82 year-old mother said to her children and grandchildren was priceless. We also listened as my oldest brother, facing retirement at the end of the year expressed gratitude to his wife. With tears in his eyes he shared how he is looking forward to the next season of life with her. This is a small sample of what was shared around the table.
Think about how your voice can be used as a gift to someone special in your family. Do you have someone in mind? Okay, then give this person the gift of your voice today.
Your voice is a gift to others
The term “hate speech” is prominent in our society today. The news is fixated on televising anger between people, giving rise to further division in our country.
We need a fresh voice–not anger about our differences, but respect about our uniqueness. To tone down the anger, join me in a different approach. Use your voice to show respect to others. Respect their voice too! Listen to understand. Suspend judgment. Find commonality.
Think about the people you will interact with this week in person or on social media. How can you use your voice as a gift to encourage, inspire, or thank others? Give the perfect gift of your caring voice.
Your voice is a gift return
If you are a spiritual person you know where I’m headed. Your voice is a gift of God. Use it to return thanks to God for the blessings in your life.
My faith is central to my being. I do my best to use my voice to bless others and praise God. So in return for the gift of my voice I give you thanks God!
Now it’s your turn
Did I find the right gift for you? If so, I encourage you to open today. Don’t wait for the holiday.
How do you plan to use your gift today?
