Saturday night I had the great joy of attending the 100th birthday party for a delightful lady, and on Sunday I wrote here about the delightful Betty White, who turned 94. What kind of gift though do you give someone who is turning 90 or 100? As that question crossed my mind a few months back, as I anticipated this big event, it occurred to me that anyone reaching such a milestone, would probably be more thrilled by people coming out to celebrate, than by any package they might bring.
A frequently used statement on invitations, is "we request the pleasure of your presence." Whether you are turning 100 or just a quarter of that, how wonderful it is to know that people care about you and they want to spend some time in your company.
It doesn't matter how far you go in life or how much material success you might achieve. What's really important is how many people's lives you touch. Of course the guest of honor might very well see more guests if they have touched many lives, but how about each of those guests? What kind of difference do they make by simply being a friend. It doesn't have to be a birthday party either. Your presence when someone is ill, or having a bad day, or looking for a new place to live, or beginning a new job, or any number of other things, can have a huge impact.
Being there: it's the gift that truly keeps on giving!
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