a place of innocence

  The circle of life. We have all heard that history repeats itself, proof that life is a circle. From dust we came and all return to the dust. That's a Biblical passage and a statement of truth. What's old is new again is another familiar adage. A version of that can also be found in the Bible. I'm certain that observation was made as early as recorded history. With this being the Christmas season my thoughts went to that, and gift giving. Really I was thinking about the gifts I received over the years, inspired by the gifts I was purchasing to give to others. As I bought some bath towels as a gift for my grandson and his fiancé it occurred to me. The gifts we receive are in a cycle as well. He has reached the "adult" gift receiving period in life. What I mean by that is receiving those gifts that others feel would be useful or needed by you. Toys, not so much. Household items, the practical items necessary for living, are what are given. There are exceptions of course, but for the most part you get what others feel you need more so than what you want. What you want is probably outside of their budget anyway, unless your family is wealthy. I can't speak to that, having absolutely no experience with that. I was raised with the. "homemade gifts mean the most narrative". It's what we tell our children and ourselves. 

  When we are babies unaware of any such thing as gifts or Christmas we are given what? A few toys, a rattle or a stuffed animal, stuff like that. The majority of what we receive will be useful items. Clothes, shoes, blankets, a crib perhaps. those sort of things. We get older and start to get those toys, the things that we want. We tell Santa, and anyone else who will listen what we want. Yeah, Mom and Dad will give you socks and underwear but the bulk will be the items you wanted, within a reasonable price range. Each year we gain an understanding of cost and so modify our requests. The bar gets lowered. At some point we stop telling altogether answering with, I don't know, or I don't need anything. That's when you start getting the really practical things; again; just like when you were a baby. Live long enough and you might start needing some of those things again, like diapers, warm blankets. You might even start wishing for all your teeth, not just the front one. Yup, it's a circle alright.

  There are those folks that go with the handmade philosophy, even today. But with the internet we can easily purchase those hand crafted items too. I know I have done that myself, lacking the talent to create the product I wish to give. No one wants a blog! Still, I can't help but notice the proliferation of " professional grade" products. I get it, it is a marketing thing for the most part, the implication being this product is made of the finest materials. The product is durable, the best you can get! If it is professional grade you can use to make your living. 

  Ironically, we purchase hand made products, made by others, so the product we are giving has that professional grade quality. Handmade has an inherent quality, flaws. If the handmade item doesn't have flaws, it was probably made by a professional. Are there professional crafters? Yes, there are, and in great numbers these days. So, what constitutes handmade? Is it simply that no machine was used in the production? I think you could say that, although a professional could still be the producing the item. Are you a professional the moment you sell your product? Yes, I guess you are. You are a professional whatever, the moment you are paid to be that person, whether it is a janitor or a pilot. I hold a commercial driver's license, am I a professional when driving my privately owned vehicle? I am if I'm a professional driver. 

 Well handmade items, made by a professional, are the best in quality but not in sentiment. And that is also something that travels in a circle. Ask any grandparent about the best gifts. Most will tell you anything their small children gave to them holds the most sentiment. That is because it was an exchange of innocence. The drawing, the trinket, the whatever they thought to give to you was chosen from a place of innocence. It is a true gift, the gift of love. A gift with the true spirit of giving something of oneself. The sentiment being, to make another happy. Those are the very best gifts of all. They define, it is better to give, than to receive. It is giving something a person needs, not necessarily, what they want.