Wonderful Gifts

In his book, “Bus 9 To Paradise,” author Leo Buscaglia recalls a letter he received from a reader:

You are always so positive about life, so hopeful about loving and about people’s behavior that it inspired me to explore the art of giving which you so often encourage. I’m young and don’t really have much to give, so I decided to buy a bunch of daisies, stand at a local intersection, and hand them out with a simple, “Have a beautiful day.” I thought it would be fun and might help others to be a bit happier. It ended by being a very enlightening experience — not exactly what I expected, but I learned a lot about human nature.

It surprised me how few people would accept my gift. Many just passed me by, avoiding my smile. Others actually pushed my hand away. Some simply uttered a curt “No thank you” and moved on their way. Others reluctantly took the flower and waited for some…