If You Stop the Gift, You “Die”

A short reflection inspired by Marcel Mauss’s classic book The Gift. Mauss wrote that when the benefits of a gift are kept only for oneself, something important begins to fade. He wasn’t speaking literally about death, but about how talents, trust, and relationships can slowly dry up when the flow of giving stops. In this episode, I reflect on the idea that many things in life—knowledge, opportunities, gratitude—may work like gifts: they grow when they circulate. Drawing from my experience running an eyewear shop for many years, I talk about why passing things on to others might be just as important as receiving them.