The art of receiving
We all were taught to exchange, you take something and give something in return.
Most of us know how to take..putting out our hand and take without been given it.
We praise a giver whenever we meet one.. but what about receiving? how many of us know how to receive with gratitude & gratefulness? knows how to accept what is been given to us without trying to take it ourselves or give anything in return or feeling guilty and unworthy of it?
No matter what is been given, the art of giving and receiving is always on a higher level then materiality.
Some say you won’t know how to receive unless you yourself know how to give.. if this is true or not the answer lies within you.
I am grateful for all those who gave me, there have been many moments of receiving.
Here I share the most dominant moments of receiving in my life (so far), when I most needed it and least expected it from some of the most beautiful generous people I ever met.§
Madeira, May 2016
A mysterious summer like sunset followed by a full moon sky, sitting on the sun deck reading other people’s regrets, out of nowhere he comes out with a pillow for my back, I look him in the eye with clear surprise “thank you, it’s nice of you”.
Minutes passes by, he goes inside again bringing a long towel and hand to over to me so I cover myself and not feel cold.
The cold & dried independent woman inside me steps out with an unsure smile saying”thanks, you don’t have to do that, you keep it and I get one for myself”.
Unsure confusion as he looks me deep in the eye for a few seconds, putting the towel away for a fraction of a second only to give it to me again, saying “take it” without one single word.
Silence followed as I saw that while brining one for him, he specifically brought one for me … with a wide gaze I take it and settle with lots of confusion.
Little we knew about each other, and even less was said..half an hour passes by then loudly he put out the question “getting chilli, no?” and of course, the freezing Rasha says”yea it is”.
He disappears for a few minutes, only to come back with a bigger better towel only for me and covers me.
As the towel slowly touched every inch of my body, the heart of the cold & dried independent woman inside me started to beat, the longing for warmth transformed to a loving warm smile on my lips as I say”you are a thoughtful person, a giver, please never lose it” and his warm beautiful smile takes over the beauty of the sunset.
It was only the next morning on the breakfast table that I introduced myself to him.
Stockholm,
Given the picky person I am for my taste of coffee & tea (& food), I have started my search for a good tasting cup of coffee in the country that makes 0.000015 % of the world’s population but consumes 1% of coffee in the world.
Summer 2013: On my way back from an afternoon walk down the walking track by Kungsholmsstrand, I stop by the cafe/mini-golf house wanting to buy a takeaway coffee…and to my surprise, this was a cash-only place in a very digitalised country.
Having been surrounded by Swedes since my early career life, I was accustomed to the “equal exchanging” act that left little to almost no room for human touch among the people,
I was taken by surprise as he calls me while I was attempting to leave the cafe, holding a cup of coffee for me “Please take it”.
January 2016: taking a walk on a cold sunny January morning, with the beautiful snow-filled landscape, I attempt to calm my stressed mind with little success,
Carrying the weight of the whole world on my shoulders, I enter the boathouse looking for a warm cup of coffee and a Fika, again I encounter the cash-only cafe in the digital credit card and loans country.
“come on, you’re kidding me, uuuffff, Like I needed this too,” I think to myself while turning away back to the stairs heading out to the cold again..when the warm lady calls me “come back.. take it, & one day if you pass by again you pay me”…
The tired human inside me received the coffee with smile & gratitude from his & her hands.
Those two cups of coffee & Fika bread were by far the most delicious ones I had, the taste of warmth and love took me over and by far exceeded my picky taste’s expectation.
Trakai, summer 2012
She was well known for her vision, she did not just see like the rest of us if she met you she could see through you.
Her powerful smile is her entrance to your world, and once she is in you never want her to leave.
Not knowing her name or how she looks, I desperately drive to Trakai searching for her.
She worked in a rehab centre and a public hospital, both were badly maintained and welcomed any penny that could be given.
Having seen a peaceful deep smile coming out of one of the doors… I knew it was her.. and one look into my eyes.. and she knew what was wrong,
Unusually, we managed to establish a friendship without a common language, whereby we skipped the small talks and got straight to the subject.. we still do that until now every time we meet.
And without hesitation, she starts the acupuncture and energy therapy for me refusing any offer from my side to pay, compensate, give something to the hospital or the rehab centre.. nothing at all.
“you came here for help, not like the others, you should know that I am not the one giving it to you, it’s him”pointing up to the sky “just receive it”…
A long missed smile inside my heart drops tears from my eyes, and the tired human inside me laid down on the hospital bed receiving the treatment with gratitude.
Dimashq, Dec. 2007
My wonderful colleague who was sitting right next to me had won the digital camera my heart was hoping to win, and -having known the price- the next day I offered to buy the camera from him if he is interested in selling it..and he said: “Rasha, it is yours, take it..”
Back and forth, I try to convince him to take money in return and when I failed I tried to withdraw my offer in a desperate attempt to make him make the deal the way I wanted… but instead an awkward silence surrounded us…
With wide eyes and a fixed gaze, he said “why can’t you just receive? I am really surprised”
The “exchanger” inside me got confused, stood speechless, scratching my head and looking for an answer to save me some embarrassment and can be suitable enough for my egoistic position in the company…
But the human inside me stepped out smiling with gratitude while taking the camera from his hand.
