29 Gifts

My daughter loves to give me little gifts. (She’s a big sweetheart! And I think gifts might be her love language.) Many times, they are in the form of artwork or crafts. Other times, when rewarded at school, she will purposely pick out something from the treasure box that she can then bring home to me. I once read somewhere that you should always graciously accept any gift a child gives you, even if it’s a rock, because children give from the heart, all that they have to give. How beautiful is that?

I too, love giving, and not terribly long ago, I read the book 29 Gifts. Of course, the title piqued my interest, as did the story line. It’s not your average “self-help” book. And while I found the author’s recount of her experience to be interesting, I especially liked the idea and message behind the book. And lots of other people did too because the concept is now an entire movement. The author, Cami, has published a book, has a website with an entire community along with resources, and the 29 day giving practice has been adopted by countless people around the world.

The inspiration for it all began when Cami received a prescription for this giving ritual from her neighbor, Mbali Creazzo, a South African Medicine Woman. You can read Mbali’s letter found in the book for free (thanks Google), and I highly recommend it, as it is a profound message. Even if you never read the book, you should absolutely read her letter, especially if you are interested in participating in this gift giving challenge. She explains the history, process, and offers insights and tips. And if you’re still curious about Mbali Creazzo, I also found this interesting interview that you might like to read.

All of this was right up my alley. I love books, journals, AND giving! I eagerly read the book, did the challenge, and kept a journal. It was pretty awesome. If you’re thinking that giving gifts everyday sounds awfully expensive, you’ll be relieved to find out that the gifts are not necessarily monetary. Gifts can be simple and small, or some days big and extra significant. They can be anything from your time and attention to spare change. As long as you’re mindfully offering something to someone, it is a gift. It’s all about intension and giving from the heart.

Want to help change the world with me? Join in this amazing movement and we can make the world a more positive place one little gift at a time.

PS: I’m afraid that I only have a picture of the journal I kept, since in keeping with the theme, I gave away my paperback book to a friend. And I’d like to add that the shells included in the picture are gifts given to me by my amazing little girl. Treasure is all about the sentiment.