There’s Wonder in Receiving

So the other night, we got to talking about receiving. When it comes to receiving -- whether it is a gift, someone's time, or their gratitude -- is it easy or difficult for you to receive?

If you're anything like me, you may find that receiving is one of those things that can be easier said, than done. To be honest, it is something that I have worked on for quite some time and over the past couple of years have finally grown comfortable with.

Receiving freely... And note I use the word FREELY...well, it's just not natural to us. See, we have grown up in a culture that insists that in order to receive something, we must work hard for it, earn it ourselves, or at least have done something to deserve it. Our engrained mindset says there is an exchange that must take place - we must give something in order to properly receive something... Right?
See, we struggle to move past the idea that anything is free anymore... even compliments or gratitudes! That's where WONDER comes in...

Something amazing happens when we pay attention to WONDER and give it room to grow. It takes over our minds, strikes through our preconceived notions about expectations, breaking all of the "rules" that we have learned about receiving. It strips us of the cynicism that has quietly crept up on us, and made its way into our minds and hearts over the years...telling us there is a quid pro quo to anything and everything.

WONDER reminds us that receiving is BEST when it is free... It reminds us that we are worthy of whatever it is that we are receiving... it proves that more often than not, love precedes receiving... And that fact alone, must not go unnoticed.

Wonder tells us that we can stop apologizing for not having anything to give in return -- and instead, gracefully accept what is placed before us, with palms open, facing up.
Receiving. When was the last time you considered how WONDER-full it really is? See, when you find the WONDER in receiving, then, and only then, do your upturned hands automatically turn outwards, to give to others so that they may receive as well...