I have been thinking lately about the act of receiving. I know the bible says somewhere that "It is better to give than to receive", but I have the feeling that was meant for an audience that struggled with greed and selfishness more so than pride.

There is something in those of us that are proud that wants to reject a 'gift' if we feel we can provide that thing for ourselves or are ashamed that we can't. Whether it is something in the physical, like money, or something abstract, like forgiveness, it takes a certain amount of humility to receive.

When we are able to finally receive well, without either the greed of a kid on Christmas morning that just wants more or the embarrassment of feeling that others are giving to meet some sort of deficiency in ourselves, we are able to truly experience love.

And that's really the goal of life, isn't it: To be able to love and be loved without our personal issues getting in the way?