he Gifts We Don’t Know We Have

About

This is the season when our email is filled with messages offering gifts of all sorts. But we must remember that there are many meanings to the word “Gift.” The first that comes to mind is a present that we give to someone without expecting payment. But other definitions of “gift” can be very different. The Department of the Interior defines a gift as being anything with monetary value that you get for less than its “market value.” And in legal language “gifts” can often be a way to avoid paying tax.

But there are also the gifts of kindness and generosity which once used, become easier and easier to share and are irreplaceable. Fred Rogers, who some might remember as Mr. Rogers, once said “in a world where you can be anything, be kind.” Those who possess the qualities of empathy and compassion possess gifts that cannot be gotten with money.

And then there are the gifts of talent and ability. There are so many things in our lives that we take for granted, sometimes not realizing how fortunate we are to have them. Our special abilities are not always recognized by others or even by ourselves, but they are gifts that only we possess. Singing, writing, making art, moving beautifully, physical strength, cooking, organizing, fixing are all attributes and abilities that develop as we find the propensity to utilize them.  Sharing such gifts often brings not only the pleasure in the doing, but also acknowledgement and gratitude from others. The artists in this exhibition look forward to sharing their artistic and creative gifts with you.