The story of gold earrings
Dear Yulia, as best as I can I will relate the story of the gold earrings.
This all took place more than 30 years ago, in the office of the woman who was not only my employer, but also a very close friend.
I had admired a beautiful pair of very delicate gold earrings she was wearing. That was all I did, and thought no more of it.
The following year, after she had returned from her annual 6 month stay in Mexico, she invited me into her office. She sat me down, and then, with great expectation and a smile of her face, handed me a small soft pouch.
I opened it, and there was another exact pair of gold earrings, such as the ones she wore the year before.
I was taken aback, looked at her and Said," Oh I cannot accept this, they are too expensive" and handed them back to her.
She looked at me, and said, "Evelyn, you are a very very selfish person, and do you know why I say that? I say that because You give a lot to many people, myself included. Tell me, how do you feel when you do good things for people? Don"t you feel Good?
I thought about that for a moment, and replied "Of course I do, I am happy that I can do what I do.and make people happy. I love doing that.
She said, "Evelyn again I say, you are selfish.. you deny me the same Joy and Happiness you feel when you give something to someone and they smile and are grateful to you, its a wonderful feeling. I would like that feeling too. You have taken that from me. That my dear Is Selfish. I will keep the earrings.
I looked at her, and started crying, I said I was sorry, and asked her to forgive me, and to please give me the earrings. I said Thank you!
What made this all the more terrible on my part, was finding out that she had taken the trouble, when she first returned to Mexico, was to travel to the small village where the old jewelry maker lived. She asked him to make me the same earrings, and he did. She thought of me in a very special way, a loving way, and it gave her joy to do this for me. I ruined that entirely by not accepting with gift with gratitude and a smile and a simpleThank You.
I also found out that the old jeweler died after he made those earrings and I had the last pair of earrings he ever made.
My friend looked at me, and Said, Evelyn, I will give you the earrings if you promise me to always remember that others need to feel the warmth and joy of a sincere Thank you . Take a gift given in Love, with Love.
I think I did not feel I was worthy enough to have someone think of me in that generous way. It was a lesson well learned.
She did return the earrings to me and I wore them with such a feeling of Happiness, I did learn. I never think of any gift less than the sum of this lesson. I appreciate everything anyone does for me, or gives me.. Even a Pat on the back.
I Give with Joy and Love, and I receive with Joy and Love. Lesson Learned.
This all took place more than 30 years ago, in the office of the woman who was not only my employer, but also a very close friend.
I had admired a beautiful pair of very delicate gold earrings she was wearing. That was all I did, and thought no more of it.
The following year, after she had returned from her annual 6 month stay in Mexico, she invited me into her office. She sat me down, and then, with great expectation and a smile of her face, handed me a small soft pouch.
I opened it, and there was another exact pair of gold earrings, such as the ones she wore the year before.
I was taken aback, looked at her and Said," Oh I cannot accept this, they are too expensive" and handed them back to her.
She looked at me, and said, "Evelyn, you are a very very selfish person, and do you know why I say that? I say that because You give a lot to many people, myself included. Tell me, how do you feel when you do good things for people? Don"t you feel Good?
I thought about that for a moment, and replied "Of course I do, I am happy that I can do what I do.and make people happy. I love doing that.
She said, "Evelyn again I say, you are selfish.. you deny me the same Joy and Happiness you feel when you give something to someone and they smile and are grateful to you, its a wonderful feeling. I would like that feeling too. You have taken that from me. That my dear Is Selfish. I will keep the earrings.
I looked at her, and started crying, I said I was sorry, and asked her to forgive me, and to please give me the earrings. I said Thank you!
What made this all the more terrible on my part, was finding out that she had taken the trouble, when she first returned to Mexico, was to travel to the small village where the old jewelry maker lived. She asked him to make me the same earrings, and he did. She thought of me in a very special way, a loving way, and it gave her joy to do this for me. I ruined that entirely by not accepting with gift with gratitude and a smile and a simpleThank You.
I also found out that the old jeweler died after he made those earrings and I had the last pair of earrings he ever made.
My friend looked at me, and Said, Evelyn, I will give you the earrings if you promise me to always remember that others need to feel the warmth and joy of a sincere Thank you . Take a gift given in Love, with Love.
I think I did not feel I was worthy enough to have someone think of me in that generous way. It was a lesson well learned.
She did return the earrings to me and I wore them with such a feeling of Happiness, I did learn. I never think of any gift less than the sum of this lesson. I appreciate everything anyone does for me, or gives me.. Even a Pat on the back.
I Give with Joy and Love, and I receive with Joy and Love. Lesson Learned.