In my household, I am usually the one “in charge” of smoothies and all sorts of (if I can help it) green drinks.

Yesterday my son beat me to it and he just handed me a glass, full of some red goodness. 

He simply said: “Dad, this is for you.”

While my brain instantly went: “Yum! Thank you my son :))”

While it’s totally unusual, for now, that he handed that to me, I had zero resistance in receiving this kind gesture, this gift from him.

And that’s where it hit me!

In the past… I think I was rather closed to receive.

I must have been… as I remember being uncomfortable with gifts of any kind.

Even compliments… it just never felt right.

I would fight to pay the bill for everyone at the table and found it super hard to let someone else pay for me.

Don’t get me wrong though.

Being great at giving is a virtue in itself and I think most of us pretty much mastered it.

We were raised to be giving I think – generalizing here of course.

In order to have balance in life though, we ought to become good at receiving as well.

So many people pray for more in life and yet they cringe in moments when life presents them with gifts.

By doing so, we are communicating to the world around us, to the universe itself… that we are not ready, not open to receive.

Life has been super kind to me in the last few years of my life, and I feel as blessed as it gets.

How about you though, what are you better at – giving, or receiving?

In either case, spend some time practising the one that needs practising ;) and do more of that for a while, bring them back into balance.

Especially if you’ve dominantly been a giver… you gotta be open to receive.

You can still give, even more, I’d say… as long as you are comfortable with receiving, too.

Robert ” Always Open To Receive” Simic