About a year ago now I wrote this column – a Christmas and holiday seasons column – and early this morning as I put together and wrote one of a series of Christmas/holiday seasons columns I intend to write over the next few weeks, I felt compelled to go back to that column.

I felt compelled to go back to that column in which I highlighted and excerpt the following passage from Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay, Gifts, published in 1844: 

Rings and jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself. Thou must bleed for me. Therefore the poet brings his poem; the shepherd, his lamb; the farmer, corn; the miner, a gem; the sailor, coral and shells; the painter, his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing. This is right and pleasing, for it restores society in so far to its primary basis, when a man’s biography in conveyed in his gift, and every man’s wealth is an index of his merit. But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy me something, which does not represent your life, but a goldsmith’s. 

Inspired and directed by Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay, I ask of you, and I ask of myself, what “portion of thyself” will you, will I, give to others this holiday season? What will you do, what will I, do to “bleed” for those whom you and I care about and love this holiday season. What will we do? 

What will you, what will I, give this season that “restores society in so far to its primary basis.” 

What will you, what will I, do so that our “biography” is “conveyed” in our “gift?”

Let us all ask these questions of ourselves, and compel ourselves to answer them honestly, and then when we get our hands on the answers, go about getting a hold of and giving the gifts that make better society. 

Something tells me that these gifts just might not be found at a department store, a car dealership, a big box technology and appliance store, a jewelry store, or sporting goods store. 

Let us all focus on giving a “portion of thyself” and to “bleed” for those to whom we give. 

We do this and then our world and society will become healthier, more compassionate, stronger, and a better place in which to live.

We do this and we take hold of, exalt, honor, support, and assure wonder and infinite positive possibilities. 

And that is all what all of us should be about, not just in the holiday season, but every season, and every day of every season.