The Basics of Sharing

I love sharing. I feel as though anything you do by yourself is probably ten times more enjoyable when done together with another person. I'm sure many people feel the same way; maybe it stems from a fear of loneliness, or maybe it is only that activities are more fun when stirred up by another personality present. Of course that is a topic for another discussion, but what I'm really concerned about is etiquette regarding the material possessions we deal with between friends. At a younger age it was simple; I have a toy truck, and since we are together we can both play with the toy truck. Although initially we all wanted to play by ourselves and were miserly with our possessions, as we got older it became apparent that it wasn't so bad to share the vehicle that I gained after an excruciating wait until Christmas. I soon realized that opening my new favorite toy on Christmas morning would never be as exciting as sitting in my sandbox while me and my friend made the biggest sand pile ever made, all the while making engine noises and imagining we were on a very important construction site.

The pure fun of friends is too often lost in the midst of construed feelings. We all get caught up saying "I worked hard for this, no one should share the fruits of my labor," and forget that we didn't work hard for what we have so that we could enjoy it alone; we work hard to enhance our own life and the lives of the people we care about. This doesn't mean that you can let people walk all over you, and use you for your possessions; sharing is a two-way street, after all. So be sure to watch for the ones who are only after your things, for they aren't interested in getting to know you and making a real connection with you, they only want a connection to your big screen TV.

So the next time you close your fist to someone, think about how many toys you had when you were young, and compare that to the fantastic relationships you had with friends. I can recall some of my neater gizmos and gadgets, but I will never forget playing basketball with my neighbors and riding bikes all over the neighborhood. Remember that memories don't come in dollars and cents, but in the people and experiences we chance upon.