Ideas on gifts
Thoughts On My Gifts By Gil Fleming
Christmas will soon be here. And if you are like Fran and I, there are certain people on your gift list that defy resolution. They don’t seem to need or even want anything – well, anything within reason. But there is an idea that has gained in popularity in recent years, and that is the gift card (or certificates). Money is fine, but it is impersonal. Gift cards allow the giver a wide range of options. The cards can run the gamut from being very general (a $100 certificate for Eastview Mall), to the very specific (a gift card for $100 to a specific restaurant, with a 1 year expiration).
Unlike us, God doesn’t need to use gift certificates. He knows exactly what we need, even more than we do. And certainly Christmas reminds us of the gift of his son. But there are many others such as: the Bible, the Holy Spirit, our church, our minister, freedom, and health, just to name a few.
However there are some gifts that are not so obvious, ones that we would not normally think of as gifts. Let me explain. In 1965, trouble with an advanced calculus course in my senior year in college caused me to reevaluate my desire to be a high school math teacher. I opted to leave and got a job at Eastman Kodak where I worked for 27+ years. I liked the technical work, but eventually found that I didn’t necessarily care for the “increasing work load – with fewer people, less time and less project money” aspect of the job. So when I was given a chance to retire with benefits and a lump sum payout, I did. (Gift #1) It is interesting to note that during the last years that Kodak I was allowed to develop and present technical learning sessions for incoming technicians. (Gift #2) I also worked with Boy Scouts, church teens and adults in leadership roles. (Gift #3)
Gifts 2 & 3 opened the door for me to consider takings a paraprofessional course at St. John Fisher taught me better strategies for working with physically and mentally challenged students. This was followed by jobs as: a paraprofessional for a student deaf student, an aide in a district based classroom, a computer technician, and an aide to a student with Asperger’s Syndrome. It was at this time that I started working, part time, as tutor for BOCES, and eventually became a full time tutor.
And there it was. I was not a teacher, but I had been given a job that utilized these experiences with the interest in teaching, the patience I had acquired in working with people in various situations, and the ease of working one-on-one with people. It was the ideal job for me – at that time.
Now that I have retired from BOCES, I am now enjoying the gift of free time. I am waiting to see what gifts will come along to replace it.
I know there may be some discussion about the use of the word “gift” (maybe opportunity would be more appropriate). But I feel that these happenings were gifts that were used to help me develop, and confirm, my ability (gift) as a tutor. It’s not only a gift for me, but a gift that I have been able to share with others.
God gives unique gifts to all of us. And even though we may not recognize them at first, we need to keep looking. Then we need to acknowledge them, accept them, develop them, and share them. We also need to be aware that this is an on-going process. Age is not a factor, although it will influence how easily gifts can be used. But that is when you can observe these gifts in others and help them recognize and develop their abilities.
By Gil Fleming
