In her book The Giving Heart: Unlocking the Transformative Power of Generosity in Your Life, M.J. Ryan talks about striving for balance, and being able to receive as well as give:

I came to understand that receiving is as important as giving, otherwise no gift would ever find its home. The receiver has an important part in the process. It takes grace to say, “Yes, I would love that,” or “That would be wonderful, thank you.” It implies that you believe you are worth getting whatever it is that is being offered.

This really got me thinking today. When I give, I do it as much for me as I do for the person to whom I’m giving. I get great pleasure from giving - it’s what makes holidays and other people’s birthdays so much fun for me.

So how am I at receiving? Because, really, when I’m giving, part of the pleasure that I get comes from the reaction of the recipient.

And when I look at it that way, I know that the pleasure I get from receiving is as much a gift to the giver as the actual gift that’s being presented to me.

Giving … AND receiving. It truly is about balance.