The Joy of Giving!

Hi, I hope you're well?
 
How was your week?  Mine has been busy what with Mother's Day and a number of upcoming celebrations (to be had on Zoom of course!)
 
Due to Mother's Day and these upcoming celebrations something became really clear to me this week, and that was there is HUGE joy in giving!
 
Firstly, on Saturday morning there was an unexpected knock on our door and to our surprise one of the local vicars and her husband were on the other side of it, who handed us a bouquet of daffodils and then quickly went on their way doing the rounds.
 
What a lovely, unexpected surprise, how sweet I thought?
 
Not long later I was chatting to a friend on Zoom when my husband walked in and presented me with a bouquet of lilies, another completely unexpected surprise!
 
As I was placing these into a vase I realised how both occasions had lifted my spirits as the receiver, but also how the reaction had a knock-on effect on the givers...I suppose when someone is looking back at you with such a thankful heart it's hard not to be uplifted too.   
 
 Could it be almost like a magical medicine?

As Mother's Day approached I bought my mum some flowers and went for the brightest ones I could find after reflecting on how the bright colours in our kitchen were lighting up the gloomy weather. 

As I picked my mum's flowers I thought to myself what else can I add that will bring her a little bit more of this contagious joy that's going around at the moment? 

I decided to add a Victoria sponge cake and a can of hair mousse, a strange combination I know!  (I'd mentioned the mousse a while ago and said I'd pick her one up sometime).

When I arrived the following day she completely lit up as I handed her the gift bag and card.  And what's more, she said how she had planned to make a lemon drizzle cake (she makes the best) but unfortunately something had come up AND that she had just run out of hair mousse!!
 
 It was lovely to see the joy in her face but I truly believe that the 'joy of giving' was felt in me equally and it's as if it did something physical in my body too.
 
 I mentioned celebrations...I have two close friend's birthdays coming up (one very big one 'shhhhhhh Lucy' she says!) and the end of my coaching sessions from the Fantastic Fay (my coach).
 
 'What can I do in lockdown for these fabulous people' I asked myself?
 
 'More flowers' I decided and ordered three bouquets to be delivered.
 
So far Fay's have arrived and she sent me this photo through with a lovely message and we exchanged a number of texts, which AGAIN I noticed, was uplifting in equal measure for BOTH the giver and the receiver.

(Pink seems to be the unofficial theme even though I wasn't able to select the wrapping colour!)

Interestingly, I've just been listening to a brain surgeon who actually confirmed that when we give there is a physical reaction in our brains that takes place which can even be detected in an MRI scan, and the billions of neurons in us are affected which can have a healing impact on our bodies.  
 
It sounds like there IS a magical medicine, how awesome is that?  
 
So, I don't know about you, but if there is scientific evidence to prove that there is healing in giving, then I am all for it.  And it does make sense, I definitely felt the effects that the surgeon was discussing.
 
But…if you're anything like me and sometimes ponder whether or not to add those little extras into the bag, and come up with reasons or excuses why not to, I think it's in those split seconds you can remind yourself that those little extras might be exactly what that person needs (like cake and mousse, right?!)
 
I'm sure you're a giver, but either way I challenge you this week to present something special to someone special and see not only how they react, but how and your body reacts too, and if you can FEEL the healing effects from the 'joy of giving.'
 
Wishing you a fabulous and joyous week,
 
Lucy x