It’s not about You (wARM AND FUZZies)

"It's not about you, It’s not yours to keep."

It took me too long to realize that when God gave me my gifts in this life, they weren't for myself. Instead, they were meant to glorify the source and spirit of God and to be shared with the world as a gift. Through deep conversations with Gina's family, I realized that everyone has a story to tell, and it's important to think about how we can use our gifts to benefit others.

Unfortunately, our society often promotes a culture of fear and scarcity, where people are encouraged to hoard their gifts and resources and compete with one another for limited opportunities. This mindset can lead to feelings of isolation, greed, and mistrust, ultimately eroding the social fabric that holds us all together.

But we can choose to reject this mindset and instead embrace a culture of abundance and generosity. When we recognize that there is enough to go around, and that by sharing our gifts we can create a more connected and supportive community, we can begin to build a better world for all of us.

I am reminded of my time working for a non-profit in Barberton, Ohio, where I witnessed a community of people giving freely of the gifts that God had given them. Vendors shared their handmade products and produce, even accepting less than the asking price, simply to give back to their community. This market embodied the spirit of sharing and giving, and it made me think about the warm and fuzzy story my mother used to tell me.

In the story, a world was filled with love and warm and fuzzies, which were like the best hugs, kisses, and adoration all in one. These warm and fuzzies were shared freely among the people, and they were never in short supply because they were given with love. But a witch entered the town and began to hoard the warm and fuzzies, giving the people cold and prickly feelings in return. Fearful of losing their warm and fuzzies, the people stopped sharing and began to only give cold and prickly feelings. Soon the world was filled with cold and prickly, and the witch had taken all the warm and fuzzies with her.

This story is a reminder that our time on this earth is temporary and that nothing belongs to us, not even our lives. We covet material things, people, and ideas, forgetting that they are all temporary and finite. It's important to remember that the gifts we have are meant to be shared and that holding onto them for ourselves is not the path to true happiness.

The loss of my mother has taught me that nothing is forever, and we should cherish the time we have with each other. We should embrace the spirit of sharing and giving, knowing that there is enough for everyone. We should not fear losing our gifts because they were never meant to be kept for ourselves. Instead, we should share our warm and fuzzies freely, for that is the only thing that truly matters. No person, no witch, no government, and no fear can make us forget that we are here to share in this experience together.

In my case, sadly my loss served as a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of living each day with purpose and intention. Let us be reminded to motivate others and to give freely of ourselves, to share our warm and fuzzies with those around us, and to create a world that is filled with love, compassion, and kindness. To take a moment to reflect on our own gifts and talents, and how we can use them to make a positive impact in the world. Let us choose to embrace a culture of abundance and generosity, and to share our warm and fuzzies freely with those around us. Because in the end, it's not about us, It was never ours to keep, it's about creating a better world for all of us to share even those we may never know or meet.

God Bless