Lessons in Generosity

I am so glad, at this point in my life, to have a kindergarten teacher as one of my closest friends. We have been friends for several years, but only recently have I realized that the lessons she teaches the little ones in her classroom are lessons that she also passes on to me.

I've never read Robert Fulghum's All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. I suspect that I have turned up my over-educated nose at its mass appeal. I, certainly, had left kindergarten in the dust long ago.

But as I've listened to my friend talk about the skills she teaches her students, I've come to understand that somehow I missed some of those kindergarten skills.

So I've begun remedial kindergarten lessons. So far, I've been learning about sharing. My friend showed up at my house, time and again, with gifts in hand. A book. Dinner, ready to be reheated and enjoyed. On my birthday, arms full of flowers.

At first I didn't know how to react. But as the barrage of generosity kept coming, I began to learn the rhythms of friendship, of free gifts and heart-felt thank-you's. I started to keep a corner of my mind open to possible gifts I could give, not only to this friend, but to others as well. She has started a domino cascade of gift-sharing among our circle of friends, and it feels great.

I can't wait to see what other lessons this friendship has in store.