Every gift from a friend is a wish for your happiness.- Richard Bach

I loved sharing this quote in school today – mostly because it baffled my students.  Most teens are pretty concrete and they see a gift as just that; a gift.  Something that is wrapped up in shiny paper and topped with a pretty bow.  They rip off that bow, tear off the pretty paper, and set out to enjoy the nice little trinket inside.  That’s a gift from the teen, or child perspective.  But think about it from the giver’s perspective.  You shop, and you agonize over the perfect gift.  You think about your friend, their likes and dislikes and then you think some more.  Finally, success!  You’ve found the perfect gift.  Then you search out the perfect card, and you wrap it up perfectly.  Why?  Because when you give someone a gift, you’re giving them more than just the stuff inside the package.  You’re giving them a piece of you, and you’re giving them the biggest gift of all.  You’re giving them happiness.  That’s the real gift to them, and the real gift to you is the giving of the piece of you to your friend.