When people exchange the gifts that they are with one another, there is friendship.  Friendship means that we give and are given, that we receive and are received.  In friendship we cherish without possessing, we encourage without forcing, we hold one another gently with open hands.

People are gifts, sent gift wrapped.  Some are wrapped delicately as if to say, "handle with care!"  Some have been mishandled in the mail and their wrapping is torn.  Some are wrapped tightly and knotted as if to say "please do not look inside!"  Some are loosely wrapped and want to be opened.  But the wrapping is NOT the gift.  People in my life are gifts to me.  Sometimes the gift is very easy to open.  Sometimes the gift is afraid to be opened.  (Maybe they have been opened up before and thrown away!)  I never want to tear the wrapping, I want to be very gentle.  Oh, that all of us could be in lots of circles!  Then we will see ourselves and others as gifts!