Praise Be and Thanks to Karen Kingston, author of Clearing Sacred Space with Feng Shui, who through her brilliant pages, gave to me the precious gift of permission to … (drum roll please)
Permission to Let go of and Get Rid of Unwanted Gifts.
I understand that gifts are a sensitive issue. For goodness sake, someone carefully and with love in his or her hearts (presumably), chose this particular gift for you. Nevertheless, if every time you pass this gift, touch this gift, move it from one end of the counter to the next to get to what you are really looking for, you encounter an uneasy feeling of ‘unwantedness,’ then I invite you to get rid of it.

As Kingston so beautifully writes, “Things you love have a strong, vibrant energy field around them, whereas unwanted presents have uneasy, conflicting energies attached to them that drain you rather than energize you. They actually create an energetic gloom in your home.”
I truly understand that a dear person or relative (are they not people, too??), gave this to you and you may be worried that they will take offense when this knick-knack of import is nowhere in sight when they next visit.
More on what Kingston says, “Remember, it’s the thought that counts. You can appreciate being given the gift without having to keep it. Try adopting a whole new philosophy about presents.”
This new philosophy is both about receiving and giving gifts. Give gifts with love and let them go. If it ends up in the trash, so be it. If it gets re-gifted, so be it.
With Kingston’s philosophy in mind, I ripped through my home office. I found gifts from people who I haven’t seen in years, from office grab bags, broken gifts (who needs ‘broken’ on the shelves!), etc. etc. etc. and etc.! After holding each gift in my hand and sending thankful thoughts to the original ‘gifter’ for their good intentions, I filled up three huge bags with gifts of all forms.
With love in my heart, I rolled them (on one of those nifty shopping carts that city folk have in their closets) straight to the church around the corner. I handed the bags to one of the parishioners with a smile and good intentions in my heart, and the bag was received in love, which was palpable. I can still feel, see and hear the smiles and the multitude of God Bless You and thank yous.
Imagine … all those items that were cluttering my shelves, creating conflicting inner thoughts, draining my energy, taking up air and space, were transformed into bags of love. I would think that the original ‘gifters’ would be happy with the outcome (if I were to tell them; which I will not!!). HA! 🙂
What will you do with your unwanted gifts? What are you holding on to? You are hereby granted permission to pass them on, let them go, and lighten up in as many ways imaginable.
For more lightening up (in spirit, for the sheer joy of it), be sure to enter Janice Taylor’s FORGIVENESS CONTEST. Answer the question, “What foods do you find irresistible?” and YOU may win ME! (and other good stuff!)
Thanks to those who have entered (what a gift! reading your hilarious, creative and heartfelt comments).