“Give me Something . . . “

Years ago, my brother worked for a would-be (and now-is) Billionaire. (Let’s refer to the man here as WBB — Would Be Billionaire.)

Foreign born. Business in his blood. Moving to the very top of the heap.

When my brother left this man’s employ for a connection originally obtained while working for WBB, he received the following request from WBB himself:

“[Brother’s name] — you must give me something. Just give me something!“

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Those words have repeated themselves in my head over the years.

I can hear my brother relate the story: WBB, with his strong accent, imploring my brother, who had offended the man’s business sense, to give him something in compensation for the contact, with whom he was now leaving for exclusive, out-of-town work.

I wondered: Why would this be so important to this obviously wealthy man?

Would I have the guts to ask for compensation from those whose contacts I’ve made possible?  

Would I have given compensation to those who have helped me?

It has caused me to look over my Life, and find the areas in which I could give more.

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We All Want Gifts . . .

Think back to the feeling of Christmas in childhood, and the thought of those gifts we hoped to receive. (The anticipation often better than the gifts themselves!)

Deeply embedded in “the little child within us” is a desire for fairness. Recognition.

We all want to be given dessert. Yet if Mom were to dish up a greater portion for a sibling, the others would feel resentment.

(Think of Joseph in the Bible, and his Coat-of-Many-Colors, and the trouble that gift from his father got him!)

Inventory of What I can Give:

So I started wondering, If giving (and receiving) is so important, what do I have to give?

In everyday life, smiles, compliments, lighthearted conversations are gifts of sorts, cheerful surprises that help brighten our day.

Calling to check in on an elderly neighbor, friend or relative.

Holding the door open at the Post Office . . .

But what else? There must be more options for giving.

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My Special Gifts:

In my career as a farrier, one who nails shoes onto the hooves of horses, one of the very special things I have to give are the horseshoe nails, themselves.

Slender, lovely artifacts that most folks have never seen, let alone held, and contemplated.

(My farrier Uncle, Ink Knudsen, used to make us kids rings out of horseshoe nails at his anvil, and give them to us to wear.)

These simple, elegant artifacts tell a story of their own.

Horseshoe nails represent one of the oldest technologies. (Early nailed-on shoes seem to be recorded around AD 900.) The horseshoe nail enabled early humans greater societal advancement.

In my quest to give, I find myself sharing them as a tip at Starbucks, offerings to tired gas station clerks, and talismans of good will to fellow travelers along the highways of life.

Along with the gift, I like to tell the story . . .

“This humble nail is one of the oldest technologies, yet it was the equivalent to a Smart Phone in its day,” I tell them.

“If you could shoe your horse, you could plow your fields, deliver the mail and defend you territory.

“Most often I can reset and reuse the horse’s shoes, but the nails give their all.” (After one shoeing, they are completely worn out.)

“The nails kind of remind me of us. They work together in a group effort to get their job done. One nail won’t hold on a shoe, but a group of six or eight of them will.

“As long as you take special care (not drop it in the parking lot, or leave it in your pocket when you wash your clothes,) this nail will bring you good luck!”

DawnSeeker

“Oohs!” “Wows!” and “Thanks!” generally follow, as I remind them that now they have a story to tell as they pass on their way . . .

I’ve handed out hundreds of nails over the past decades, and a range of inspiring stories have returned to me from the “luck” they have produced.

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Cookies for Horses, Chocolate for Humans

When I work as a farrier, I bring a special cookie as treats for the horses. (YUM! They salivate when they see me coming.)

And I give away LOTS of Trader Joe’s Belgium Chocolate as thanks to those people who need a special lift. (Tips for the hay guys who load my truck with hay.)

Recently, I gave a horseshoe nail, for good luck, to a sad-looking Lyft driver standing by his car in a Ventura parking lot. Then I offered him chocolate, as I could see he was having a tough day, and he tried to refuse.

“No, I give this away all the time — take it! You’ll love it!” I told him.

Five minutes later he announced: “Man, that nail really was good luck! I just got a $45 fare to Santa Barbara!” and drove off, licking the chocolate from his lips.

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So it really is the little things we give to our fellow travelers around us, that make the big difference.

Look into your inventory and see what you have available.

You might be surprised that a WBB could have been the impetus to something good!

DawnSeeker

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(For more interactive ideas, see my Post: Deep Philosophical Three Minute Conversations.)

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Copyright 2023

Photos: Dawn Jenkins

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Dawn’s a Life-long Horse Girl —

Please visit Dawn’s Horse Blog:  Soul Horse Ride :))

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