Some Gifts Come With Strings Attached

    Our SONG TO CHEW today is "Some Gifts" from my CAMPING WITH DADS album.   I make a distinction between giving a 'gift' and giving a 'present'.  A child comes home from school and 'presents' Mom with a "birthday crown" made of yellow construction paper, taped together with glitter and dried pieces of gold elbow macaroni glued on it.  Mom wears it around the house; maybe even to the store, because it's a 'present' from someone she loves, even though it's mostly about the child who 'presented' it to her!  A 'gift' is different.  It's specially for the person getting the gift.  Your friend loves Clydesdale horses, and you see a lamp with a horse on it, but it's not a Clydesdale, so you go on looking.  When we receive a 'present' from someone, and we were expecting a 'gift', it can hurt.  And it's probably time to re-examine our expectations.  Some folks feel so hurt, they can't even enjoy their 'present'!  So when these things happens to us, it helps to remember that we're all human and we all have room for growth, whether we're giving or receiving. It's been a difficult year for many of us, especially folks who live alone, so maybe call someone you love who's alone, and tell them you love them?  As this song says, "It's not the gift, it's the way the gift is given!"  Hope we all have a kind-hearted New Year!  I'm Peter Alsop.  See you next week with another SONG TO CHEW!* Subscribe to my weekly - Songs To Chew podcast ~    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peter-alsops-songs-to-chew/id1446179156 * My new CAMPING WITH DADS album! ~     https://www.amazon.com/Camping-Dads-Peter-Alsop/dp/B08CS871QW/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Peter%20Alsop%20Camping%20With%20Dads * E-mail/ Website ~ [email protected]  ~ https://www.peteralsop.com * www.FaceBook.com/WeLikePeterAlsop * Youtube.com/peteralsop ~ videos* Patreon.com/peteralsop ~ support my music, podcast & other artistic endeavors* CDs & downloads ~ http://www.peteralsop.com/music    Get full access to Peter Alsop’s Substack at peteralsop.substack.com/subscribe