I am sure few people can say that they haven’t at one time or another heard the saying that “Life is a gift.” Regardless of your religious beliefs, most people would probably even agree with this. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly, however, I think that the statement, “Life is a gift” is a bit of an oversimplification. This sentiment honors the destination, but what about the journey?
I believe that each of our lives is a gift given to us by God who really really likes wrapping paper. He gives us each this gift that he has meticulously wrapped with layers and layers of paper. We begin to unwrap our gift and our heart flutters with anticipation. We peel off one layer only to discover that beneath it is yet another layer of beautiful intricate wrapping. We maintain our enthusiasm for a while, but like the human creatures we are, we begin to grow impatient and wonder when we’re ever going to get to what is inside. In our haste to reveal our gift, we breeze past the colors and the detail of layer after layer of wrapping. We are doing ourselves a disservice, because our gift is more than just what’s in the box. Our gift is the layers and layers of paper. It is the experience of taking the time and feeling the anticipation and the joy. The unwrapping is the journey.
If you permit yourself to slow way down, you are more able to take in each individual design on the wrapping paper and see that each is somehow intricately linked to the next. As we peel back the layers like a peony unfolding its petals we discover our own existence blossoming into a reality we could have never imagined at the beginning. The key is to enjoy each moment of the experience, and to learn from it. Pay attention to the details, the “scenery” along the way to see more clearly the beautiful plan that God has laid out.
There’s so much more than the gift that is on the inside of the box.