(Un)wrapping an (In)valuable Gift!

(Un)wrapping an (In)valuable Gift!

By: Cl. William David

            Who actually understands the value of a gift, is it the giver or the receiver? Jack gifts Jessie with a beautiful red rose one day, and surprises her with a gift of a diamond ring another day. What really matters here, is it a rose-or-diamond issue or the generous giving of Jack? The primary aspect is not what one gives, but the noble act that one gives. Both in a rose and in diamond, Jack just wrapped his love for Jessie. Now, it is up to Jessie to unwrap the value of love in it. It is the receiver who understands the worth of a gift, not the giver! Consider, the wonder done by Jesus, the receiver of five loaves and two fish from the little boy giving what he had. Think of the worth of the two coins offered by the widow in the temple. It is the reception that recognizes; it is acceptance that appreciates the gift. This is what a Noble Poet, Rabindranath Tagore splendidly puts, “Love’s gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted.”

        

    As life, love is also all about giving and receiving. In giving one becomes a lover, in receiving one becomes a beloved. The gift of ‘I love you, My dear’ may mean nothing to one who resists to receive it; however, the non-reception, so-called ‘refusal, rejection, etc.’ Never ever reduce the value of the gift and the giver. A genuine giver, true lover loses nothing, but the receiver! Philosopher Bertrand Russell says, “Love is, above all, the gift of oneself.” Take, for instance, a day consists of sun’s giving light and moon’s reflection of that light. Love too consists in both giving and receiving. The more a moon receives, the brighter she shines! On the other hand, if she fails to receive and reflect, does the sun lose his light? Impossible! A wrapped gift is not known, unless someone unwrap it. The value of it is never in the wrapping but always in the hands of the one who discovers it. Dr. Leo Buscaglia, an American author (known as ‘Dr. Love’) also seems to come along the way, when he says, “Love is always bestowed as a gift – freely, willingly, and without expectation. We don’t love to be loved, we love to love.”

            The exciting things of life are ‘being surprised’, yet more enjoyable excitements are ‘making others surprised’. Hence, what is next?... Come on just wrap the gifts for people around, at the same time, please be keen and patient enough to unwrap the gifts that are actually around us, in and through people, nature and God. Only the eyes that look at you understand the value of your smile. It is love that makes life eternal, for the Dr. Love writes, “What love we’ve given, we’ll have forever. What love we fail to give, will be lost for all eternity.” No gift is so small. No love is so mean. Shall we value each gift and unwrap every love?

Hacksaw Ridge (Movie Review)

Hacksaw Ridge (Movie Review)

Hacksaw Ridge, a beautifully depicted movie of a real life hero who goes to war without a gun. Desmond Doss, a young man living during the time of the war between America and Japan. Like any other youngster he too wishes to enlist in the army but as a medic. His elder brother had already enlisted himself to fight. The family wasn’t very supportive. His father, an ex-war solider who is now reduced to a depressed drunkard and his pious mother, who bears all the sufferings, were not of the idea that Desmond go to war. In time, he finds the girl of his life and promises to marry her on his return during his vacations. However things go wrong with him when in the training camp he holds his convictions higher than touching a gun or let aside wielding. He is bullied, tortured and even beaten up. But he continues to follow on the way of the gospel values. Finally in court due to his father’s interventions he is allowed to go to war without a gun. Initially, he’s looked down upon as a burden to be saved. But tides turn when the American army retreats during a battle. He continues to stay back rescuing the soldiers who are still alive though severely injured. He even goes to the extent of saving the lives of the soldiers of the opposite enemies. A true story that gives a strong witness to a world lost in violence that Jesus even today continues to outshine everything through people strong in faith, willing to die for him. A motivational movie that everyone must watch. Desmond Doss has something to teach us all!

Deadpool 2 (Movie Review)

Deadpool 2 (Movie Review)

As stated by the protagonist himself, Deadpool 2 is a best seller, only second to Mel Gibson’s ‘Passion of Christ’. It is a story of how Wade finally finds a family. The movie shows us how Wade aka Deadpool is on a spree killing the underworld goons and thus in his own unique way, serving justice. However, the consequence to it is that some of those goons attack his house and kill his fiancée. This causes him to begin his suicidal spree in various ways. Being able to regenerate, he can’t die. However, he gets a glimpse of his fiancée in the afterlife directing him on the path he needs to take. From there on he joins the X-Men and in one of their joint missions he meets a kid called Russel aka Firefist, the character on whom the story revolves around. Russel is a mutant who just like any other mutant child is tortured. In an attempt to save the kid Deadpool gets himself locked up inside the prison. Here he encounters, a new character, Cable, a time-travelling mutant, who’s there to kill Deadpool and Russel. As the movie progresses, Firefist realizes that Deadpool doesn’t care for him and thus finds a new friend in Juggernaut. At the end, Cable reveals that Russel killed his family and that he was only here for revenge. However, Deadpool’s heart melts for the kid and thus after a long argument and many graphic fights all are united and they form the X-Force, a family. Sexual content is present and minimal but abusive language and gore is heard and seen along with a lot more reference that boldly makes a mockery of movies, songs and even Ryan Reynolds himself. This movie is recommended for an adult viewing since the violence portrayed can be quite disturbing.