Appreciating the Christmas gifts

No matter what your feelings about Christmas, I think you’d agree that the season — at least in many parts of the world — is focused around giving. It is a time of acknowledgement, in the US starting at Thanksgiving, culminating for many in gift giving on Christmas day, during Chanukah or Kwanzaa.

So I’d like to acknowledge you, my Adventures in Dating After 40 readers, who help keep me writing this missive. I appreciate your visits as it helps me see my ideas are useful or entertaining, or some combination of both. And I’m grateful that so many readers recommend this blog to other singles. And a few list me in their blogrolls.

I’d also like to thank the commenters — some of whom are frequent commenters. Sharing your thoughts and experiences makes this forum richer for everyone. It also helps me check my thinking, and sometimes spawns additional postings.

And, of course, I’m grateful for the gifts offered me from the 73 men I’ve gone out with these last 26 months. They didn’t know they were offering me gifts, but I knew they had something to give me, so if I looked hard enough I usually found it. (See “Being present to the presents.”)

As I’ve said many times, a number of these men have stayed in my life as treasured friends. After we learned we weren’t romantic matches we knew we valued each other as friends, so have stayed in touch. Some of the generosity from these treasures has touched me deeply. And to think if I hadn’t entered the dating world I would not have them in my life.

Of course, there are those who weren’t treasures, but often triggered an important insight for me. So while I’m not unhappy these guys aren’t in my life, I am grateful for the gift(s) I received from them. (See “‘There must be a pony in here.’”)

So today, in addition to reflecting on your gratefulness for your family, friends and abundance in your life, think about some of the gifts given by your past dates. Be thankful that they traveled through your life and left you some present. It’s your job to figure out what the present is.

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