Those words – the ART of…mean something. This is a side to this subject of gift giving not often mentioned. Every art form is practiced because Art elevates the practitioner. Of course there are always those who practice some form of art (or more commonly, pseudo-art) in the pursuit of fame or fortune but a true artist practices her art because the process itself puts her in touch with greater, deeper, higher dimensions of herself. It elevates her. That’s why we so appreciate art and have art museums. Because the artist elevated himself in his creation, his creation elevates we who behold it.
A lot depends on the art form and the level at which it is practiced but in all art, when we succeed – when we actually create something that has the qualities of art – unity, harmony, etc. – we shine. We feel good, we are good we become good. We elevate. And, it is the same with finding the right gift for someone.
Knowing this is useful. Consider, for example, when you go out of your way to put together a dinner party. You think about your friends and who will get along well with whom and you choose your guests by this. You decide what to serve, perhaps influenced by the season or simply the nature of the day, what beverages to have, who will like what, how to adorn your home.
During the party you help monitor the conversation. So and so tends to take over and not let others speak so you intervene ever so delicately to prevent that. Someone else tends to be shy so you bring him out. When a subject is brought up you inquire of those not speaking what they think – and you make, or refrain from making your own contributions and in all this you create something and you feel good doing it and everyone enjoys themselves greatly. So you know what it is like to create, to create harmony, unity – to create a work of art.
Gift giving is the same. Choosing a gift, as an art form, requires that we maintain an awareness of someone, that we hold in our emotional intelligence a sense of their nature or some aspect of their nature and seek that something that will harmonize with that. And when we are on the right track, we will experience the same sort of elevation that always accompanies creating If when choosing a gift for someone we don’t experience the same sort of elevation then we’ve not chosen the right gift.
