#19 - One Hand to Give, One Hand to Receive

Remember, last week I recited the prayer that I learned as a child and repeated at meal time?Today, the first lines of that prayer—one hand to give, one hand to receive—came back to me as I began to think on and consider the nature and shape, and the weight of what I have received. I began to consider what, as a result of that reception, I have been born to give. With that prayer, known as a sifas, I recognize the mantra that in life we are born to give; and accordingly, we are born to receive. A reciprocal link, a dear term of engagement. As I get clearer on direction, strategy, and vision, I have been thinking more and more about what it is I have been born to give and, honestly, I have also been thinking how my gifts can support the growth of myself and the growth of others. Two years before my mother's death, one of my brothers got more interested in cooking new dishes and just cooking in general. I would find him in the kitchen with her making this or that and what I first remember is his hesitancy to swap in other ingredients when we lacked something in the house. I remember one day I happened to be making something in the kitchen and realizing I was out of thyme or some type of seasoning; I said okay, well, I guess I will go ahead and use this instead. At that moment Mommy stopped and noted to my brother, who was also in the kitchen: You see what Nzingha just did, she's improvising - that's what cooking is.The note that Mommy gave interested me as it showed she never stopped teaching even though she was not currently cooking or going over a new dish with my brother. She just happened to notice something and offered that, in the moment, as a lesson.Secondly, the idea of improvising, of making better with what you have, making more with what you have to get to where you want to go, reminded me of this enormous gift that I had received. Mommy taught me various types of improvisation. I received the gift of making, of creating on a whim and a pleasure.Sometimes it has seemed like the gifts that I received are so far gone from what I need or what others might need or be inclined to receive.It has seemed that the gifts that I received are perhaps too unique, perhaps too mundane, or too insignificant to really give forward.But this brings me back to the size and order of what I have received. And if, in this case, I have received the gift of improvisation, how do I, at least in part, give that gift to others?First and foremost, Nzingha, exercise your muscle of courage. Flex it and stretch. And second and foremost, Nzingha, activate a release over worry policy. Breathe it out, and give it what you got.I do believe in my heart that we are receptacles for the most and the least, the greatest and the smallest of wisdoms, kindnesses, and unfortunately the opposite of these. How do we, though, take the best of what we have received, and apply it forward? 

What do you feel you were born to give? What do you feel you have received?