Jul 19, 2003 10:49 AM
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(Updated Jul 19, 2003 02:14 PM)
Five gifts that I would like to receive
I never really given a deep thought to the gifts I would like to receive. What gifts would I like to receive? I always thought I had no choice. I just accepted what others gave me. I feel more at home giving gifts, than receiving gifts. I have always been too embarrassed receiving gifts. I thought it was for others to receive and for me to give. When someone asks me what I would like to receive as a gift, I say “what gift?” I feel it is up to the person giving the gift to decide what to give. It all depends on their budget, their feelings for me, their knowledge about me, their affection for me etc. If I tell them what to give, doesn’t it amount to asking for a gift? I have always maintained that people who give gifts do so only if they have feelings for the person to whom they are giving the gift. You never give gifts to a stranger do you? There has to be a bond between the person giving the gift and the person receiving. It has to be from the heart. A gift given from the heart will always be beautiful, no matter what it is, how costly or cheap it is, how big or small it is. Such a gift has to be treasured. I hate people saying “What a lousy gift Manoj gave me. I will have it given it to my servant to use.” It breaks my heart. It is not the gift but the feelings behind the gift which are important to me.
When I give a gift to someone, I always go through a thought process. What is my budget, what is my relationship with the person, what are the likes and dislikes of the person etc. The closer the person, the more difficult is the selection process. I go to shop after shop, shelf to shelf in search of what would suit this particular individual. I am sure people giving me gifts also must be going through the same thought process.
However, if you insist I can tell you what gifts I would want to receive. I know for a fact that no one would give me such gifts. But if someone really knew me, probably they would. Would they? Ha Ha ha. They would probably go bankrupt in the process. Don’t tell me I did not warn you. Why? Well read on then you will know why.
The first gift I would love to receive is a luxury supersonic jet aircraft with all the fuel required for a life time, a qualified and efficient pilot, a beautiful hostess and an excellent steward. This would give me the power to travel where I want and when I want. Travelling is always a pain specially if you have to get the reservations done and seats are not available and you get a seat right at the back or right in front or a middle seat sandwitched between a yawning old man and a clumsy young kid. Ugh. It can make the journey miserable. With my own jet, I can chose the seat I want, the food and drinks I want served, the company I want etc. Wouldn’t it be wonderful? A dream perhaps. Can I open my eyes? No no let the dream remain.
The second gift I would like is a state of the art lap top with the latest software and a lifetime broadband internet connection bundled with it. That will make me connected to the world at all times. Being on dial up with 56 kbps modem and mostly very low speeds is irking. It eats up half my salary even if I stay on line for just a few hours a day. I can spend hours with a computer. Though I may not have much knowledge of computers, I love to learn at my own pace. I pick up a software book, read it, try it out re-read it, try out newer things and love every moment of it. If I am asked to give an examination, I would fail miserably. I learn to forget and then learn some more. I have an innate inquisitiveness. I like to explore. A computer gives me a wide scope for exploration.
The third gift which I would desire would be a digital video camera. I would love to store up all the memories of all the places I visit, all the people I meet, all the special occasions the rare occasions the joyous occasions. When I am old and feeble, when I have no one by my side, I can relive each moment.
The fourth gift I would want is a multi media projector through which I could see all the memories stored on my computer via the video camera. I like to see things larger than life. A TV screen is far too small.
The fifth gift of my choice would be the top of the line DVD Home Theatre System with and a sound proof room so that I am able to hear music of my choice at the volume I chose. I hate people telling me to lower the volume when I am listening to music. I can never listen to music the way I like. Whenever I put on some music, the three dominating women in my life – my wife and my two daughters – will invariably yell out. Either my elder daughter will shout that she is studying or my wife will say she is talking to someone on the phone or my younger daughter will yell that she is watching TV and she can’t hear a thing. I love music full blast. It must drown everything else. All the sounds of protest must be unheard. There should be total bliss. No caring for irked neighbours cursing me. This gift will definitely be a boon.
There. That is the lot. I told you it is wishful thinking didn’t I? Who in this wide world would give me such gifts? I should have been born into a Ambani or a Birla or a Tata family to fulfill such desires. That is why I say respect the feelings of the giver and be thankful for what ever they give you. It is the thought and not the item which is important.
