Introduction

You have amazing gifts. You possess the power to bring light, hope and compassion to yourself and your human family, to make the world a more loving, caring, peaceful place. We all do. Too often, however, our gifts go unacknowledged and unused.

Life can be busy and difficult. We have conflicting priorities. We are overwhelmed by our personal problems and the problems of the world. We don't have time or energy to think about our gifts let alone cultivate them. We shove them to the back of the closet and forget they are there.

In my own life, I often find that when I am feeling distracted, distressed, exhausted, or hopeless, reflecting on the gifts I have and how I want to use them revives my spirit. In the pages of this book, I will share some of the words, stories, and ideas that, over the years, have helped me refocus on what is important and adjust my attitude.

I hope that these offerings, along with my personal ruminations, will encourage you to engage in introspection, challenge you to make choices in line with your values and inspire you to realize the fullness of your humanity. Ultimately, I hope this book will serve as a resource for meditating on your own gifts and provide the motivation you need to make the most of them.

This book is designed to meet you where you are. It is not a book to read through in one sitting. The entries are deliberately short, and self-contained; they will be most useful if you aim to read just one or two a week, allowing the questions to summer in your mind. Likewise, there is no need to read the entries in order. Feel free to flip through the pages to find one that resonates with you on that particular day, at that particular time. Perhaps you will find that one entry becomes a touchstone that you return to again and again.

It is my firm belief that life is dynamic, that change is always an option, and that it is never too late to realize our potential. As you spend time with this book and think more deeply and intentionally about your gifts, you will begin to see opportunities to practice them in your life. Seize these opportunities to turn insight into action! The most profound and complete fulfillment, in my experience, comes from living and giving our gifts on a daily basis.