From The Storyteller
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Hello All: Today's story is really about the gift you give to others. Enjoy, Doug
Alternative Almost without exception guests would arrive with a smile and a look of anticipation. We would meet them at the dock and bring them abroad Safari, our 34’ sailboat. It takes a good hour to prepare a sailboat to go out, so we try to have everything ready, including lines and sails, before they arrive. Since our friends would be hoping for a fun day of sailing, we usually planned the day to begin around 9:00, have lunch under sail and be back in by 1:00. Truth is that 4 to 5 hours of sailing in the sun wears most folks out. Finishing before it got too hot, then sharing stories and a few cold drinks back at the dock worked magic. Our guests would leave as they came, smiling. After sailing is over, it takes another two hours to put Safari to bed. Making sure she is secure while we are away takes time, and all this work takes place during the hottest part of the day. We never spoke to our guests about the effort that went in to taking them sailing. We never expected them to help clean up, and while some offered, our answer was always, “Thank you but it is not a problem”. I am sure that our story is your story also. Yours may not include a boat, but every time you’ve invited someone to be your guest, the amount of effort it took to plan, prepare and then clean-up was significant. Whether it was for family or friends you gave, while others enjoyed the results of your labors. Your gift, an act of love. Observation: Since Covid has limited our opportunities for giving this type of gift, looking for alternative ways to make the gift of love happen will be time well spent. Moral: Gift giving brightens everyone's day. |