A Guide for Giving

In my novel, CeeGee’s Gift, Mr. Tindale and CeeGee spend a lot of time talking about what it means to be gifted and CeeGee’s responsibility to give her gift. They compose a ‘Guide for Giving’ for CeeGee to follow whenever it is time for her to share a Knowing—her knowledge of the future—with kindness and generosity. Later, at Mr. Tindale’s funeral, CeeGee’s mother distills these values into the simplest terms. It is a list I find helpful in my own life. I hope it will be helpful in yours.

·     Give Your Gifts. 

·     Follow the Golden Rule. 

·     Do not Judge. 

·     Look for Silver Linings. Things that seem bad at first may turn out good in the end. 

·     If you can change your direction, you can change your whole future. 

If my gift is to write, this means I must commit to my writing as a primary force in my life, not just when I can escape from all the other busyness. I must be kind, no one should be harmed by my words, and I must be clear that I do not know everything. I should not preach as if I have divine intellect, but just tell a story respecting all the characters and their diversity. I don’t have to worry about the Silver Linings, because by nature I am always looking for these—to a fault, perhaps. And when I find myself stuck, or in a negative situation, it is my job to change. The map of the future is mine to build.

I will follow this list, as did CeeGee, Mr. Tindale and many other characters in the small town of Southport. How about you? Is this your list, or do you have your own Guide? Please share.