|
|
|
COVER STORY: Showing That You Care
This is but a little faded flower, But oh, how fondly dear! ‘This will bring me back one golden hour, Through a many a weary year.— Ellen C. Howarth
The verse is touching and poignant as I’m sure most people agree with it. Everyone is bound to experience a pleasing blend of nostalgia and sweet yearning at some point in their lives.
Of course, keeping flowers in books is a common practice as most people assume that it preserves the memories and feelings of the loved ones who present it to us, even though it may lose its freshness and fragrance. The sweet tender pangs of emotions usually creep in our hearts when we catch a glimpse of the things that we hold dear to us. These things also remind us of the wonderful people that make our lives worth living and the lovely places that we visit. It is for these special reasons that keepsakes, mementos and gifts hold a special place in our lives. The material value of the gift is irrelevant and cannot be compared to its emotional value.
Don’t you drift into a sentimental mood when you glance at things which even though useless, still mean a lot to you, like an old teddy bear kept away in the wardrobe, the first birthday gift given to you by dad or a lovely little purse given by a friend and a hoard of other mementos that we receive from our relatives and loved ones? These gifts are long cherished, as we develop an unknown affinity for the things given to us by the people we love. Giving gifts to the people you love is a lovely tradition (as long as you don’t get bankrupt), winning the hearts of the ones you love.
Grab the chance
Unless you make friends you can’t experience the bliss and pleasure associated with this wonderful relationship. Similarly you need to show your love, concern and appreciation to the ones you love. The best way to do that is by telling them frankly how much they mean to you. However, if you feel mere words don’t portray your feelings very well then the best way to show your love to them is by giving them a gift. This gesture might cost a bit but it is bound to get the message across, making your friends and family happy.
What to give
‘Say it with flowers’ — that’s a million dollar slogan and the best way to get your feelings across. This slogan was once used by the Society of American Florists to boost its business.
True, when you run out of words nothing is more beautiful and expressive than flowers. In the words of John Keats: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”. Yes, flowers make your relationship more beautiful and bring you immense joy. However, some feel that flowers die and cannot be held on to forever. Well, for people who feel this way, you do have another option, as you have a hoard of items to choose from, such as books, decoration pieces, stuffed toys and more. If you are away on a holiday to a foreign land then you can also bring back a souvenir of that place for your friend.
Whatever the gift one must never forget that the real essence of the gift lies in the emotions and sentiments that accompany it. Giving a gift just to impress others will not give you genuine pleasure. There has to be a sense of affection associated with the gift or else this exercise is futile.
While getting someone a gift keep in mind their likes and dislikes. It’s pointless to buy jewellery for a friend who hardly ever wears it, similarly buying a hard rock cassette for someone who does not even consider this genre a form of music is futile.
Gifts must reflect our feelings
Giving gifts to each other is a good practice, as according to our Prophet (Peace be upon him) this increases affection among fellow beings. But remember... don’t run out of your pocket money buying very expensive gifts as it’s not the price of the gift that makes its worth, but the love and affection associated with it.
When to give
People like Anna Jarvis and Sonora Louise Smark have made it easy for us to decide the best time for buying gifts for our loved ones.
Anna Jarvis was the lady behind Mother’s Day celebrations. She strived to declare the second Sunday of May as a day dedicated to the selfless love of mothers. A time to tell mothers how much they mean to us with our splendid gifts of love.
It was at one of these Mother’s Day gatherings that Sonora Louise Smark, decided to dedicate a day to the efforts of fathers as well. And that’s how on every third Sunday of June we celebrate Father’s Day. The list could simply go on as we have days dedicated to our grandparents, friends, children, as well as a special day dedicated to lovers called Valentine’s Day.
Besides this there are numerous other occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries when you can loosen your purse strings to show your loved ones that you care. However, you need no special day to show your affection and love, you can do that anytime.
Choose your way
It is rather interesting to know that the 151 ft. tall Statue of Liberty is a gift from the people of France to the American people. Whew! What a gigantic gift. This fact has been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. But hold on, it is just to add to your knowledge, obviously we don’t want you to follow suit.
What is intended here is to make you understand that innovation is good and that you should be a little different in whatever you do. In the case of gifts you can be a little different by making use of your imagination. For example if you’re good at drawing then you can present a handmade card. If you paint well, you can paint a picture, write a few nice lines at the back and get it framed. Such a gift is sure to make your loved ones extremely happy as they would be aware of all the effort that you have put in, just in order to make a perfect gift for them.
Catch the real spirit
You might have the reputation of showering your friends with expensive gifts or you may be known for not spending a dime even to buy them a hairpin. Either ways it doesn’t make a difference as long as your intentions are good. Material items are irrelevant, it’s the feeling that make all the difference. Strive to hold on to the real spirit of the tradition or else winning hearts is impossible.
|
|
|
|
