My giving continues in this organized way. It is a very different feeling to wake up wondering what I will give to whom and my other requirement that it be fun in some way. So I was laying in bed Saturday morning thinking about what I could give when 4 little girls burst into my room at barely 7am (2 daughters, 2 nieces) and in one big excitement asked if they could play Chopped, the Food Network show where a random set of ingredients are given to them and they have 30 minutes to make something yummy with it. My first reaction to myself was, "Oh, no. Not on a Saturday morning. The one day I can lay in bed for a little bit and read- and the kitchen will be a gigantic mess to clean up..." And then I remembered that I was just thinking about what I was going to give that day and decided this could actually be fun. So I got up, set them up each one egg, 2 dates, a sprig of thyme and an apple. Then I set the timer for 30 minutes and went back to bed. The 8,9 & 10 yr old did the cooking while the 4 year old and myself were the judges. I wish I would've taken pictures because the outcomes were hilarious. I wouldn't really say delicious, but creative and amusing for sure. The most interesting concoction was using cream cheese to grease the pan because we ran out of butter and then mixing the egg with hazelnut milk to make a sauce. Needless to say it was one big brownish, grayish curdled, chunky 'sauce' that was topped with a burnt piece of toast- but it actually didn't taste that bad. The 4 year old ate the whole plate! There were apple wedges with 2 nut butters for dipping, and 'omelet'- term used loosely, and a scramble with nearly every ingredient from the pantry in it. All dishes were edible and were finished. I even offered to do the dishes. It actually was very fun even though was a gigantic mess! But I was amazed how a quick change of mind made all the difference in this experience! It turned from dread to fun in an instant.
Sunday I got some practice with giving something I was slightly attached to. I have this up on our nature table right now and a friend of mine has been asking me to make her a set and offered to pay for it. I really would love to make her a set and intended to but my days are seriously so packed right now it felt like one more 'thing to do' on my list and was just stressing me out. I thought a few times of giving her my set but I really like having it out this time of year. So, yesterday I packed it up and gave it away when she came over. It actually felt great. It was liberating and I know she'll enjoy it. There definitely is a difference between giving something away that is made for that person vs. something that was mine and I love. I'm very good at giving away things I don't use any more, am finished with- like a book, or have grown tired of, but something I currently love and am enjoying felt very different. A good kind of different. I was a little surprised that I didn't feel any attachment to it once I decided. I felt good and clean- better than if I had made her her own set because that would've involved squeezing it into my already busy schedule and just trying to get it done. A lesson well learned!
I still haven't decided what will be given today- but I'm feeling it ought to be something to a stranger today... What are you giving today?
