“Dad, I need your help, come here!” My 11-year-old girl dragged me towards the computer.
“Dad, please purchase everything I have in the Amazon shopping cart. Here, take this cash from my savings!”
The shopping cart showed ten items for a total of about 130 dollars.
"Wait!” I replied, “That’s too much money! Why do you need all these things?”
"Please, Dad! These items will get here before Christmas. I have a surprise for everyone… no peeking!” She insisted and never hesitated.
I purchased everything.
A couple of days later she got everything.
I saw her then wrapping all her gifts.
“Can I help you?”
“No, Dad, I told you these are special surprises, absolutely no peeking!”
Her excitement was visible, she was proud. She was alive. She was glowing happiness.
The day came. She couldn't hold herself. She was all around her gifts, planning, protecting, arranging. Everything had to be perfect.
As soon as dinner was over, she jumped from her chair and took her gifts. She went around giving each one of us her piece of love. These were small value items, but it was the meaning of her giving heart that we were really feeling.
As she gave to each person, she paused. She watched the expression of our face. Our smiles were her greatest reward.
Her last gift was for my back then 2-year-old boy. A rocking pony ride-on toy.
It’s hard to describe the explosion of delight that my little boy had on his face when he got this gift!
For several minutes everyone’s attention was absorbed watching him go all around the house making it a rodeo arena. Even though the pony is designed to be a static rocking horse — his excitement was so significant that the horse slid a few inches forward or backward with every thrust he exerted into the little toy.
My little girl watched rewarded with a huge smile on her face.
Somehow, witnessing these acts of giving love from my 11 year old helped me understand the power of giving. Giving from the heart. Giving from the inside-out.
Later that day my girl received some gifts, but she didn't need them. She was focused on others, not on her. It was evident that she was the one feeling true JOY. She was full.