By kaylee{G}

The Holiday Season

One of the much loved books of kaylee’s childhood and adult years is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Over the course of kaylee’s lifetime, she’s gone through several copies, thumbing through, weeping over, and treasuring each worn page. She related to several of the main characters so much that in reading that familiar story, she could almost envision being there hidden in the background, watching the March family as they grew up.

She could relate to so much of how they felt... except their holidays, which were described a few times in the book. As a child, kaylee found the idea of receiving handkerchiefs as a gift appalling. The March family focused on traditions and small tokens of love rather than the piles of presents this one had grown accustomed to greeting her each Christmas morning... it was completely different than what she was exposed to by her family and by society. This slave told herself, “In olden times, they didn’t have malls,” and comforted herself with the knowledge that today, times are different.

Different is an understatement. The merchandising in the United States starts before the Halloween decorations are taken down. The day after Thanksgiving is commonly known as “Black Friday,” and kaylee personally would not want to be in the path of an anxious mob rushing through the doors of WalMart at 6 a.m. that morning. The pressure to give material gifts can grow to a point of frenzy, where you frequently see people last minute shopping for *anything* just so they can check the people off their list. The concept of giving for the sake of giving becomes utterly lost in a sea of commercialism... because not only are gifts expected, but there is that sense of people judging you based on what you give. And in losing that idea of “giving”... we lost what may be one the most important parts for slaves, who spend much of their lives reveling in the act of giving to others.

So what is the slave to do, as the holidays come ’round and she aches to express her love and gratitude to the most important people in her life?

The practical answer is that it depends on the slave’s situation. Some have monies of their own and can shop for the special something for everyone on her list. Some slaves will be allotted a certain amount of money to purchase items for their loved ones. Some will make homemade gifts and share them with others. Some slaves are dealing with the concept that they have given everything to another... what else is there left to give? And perhaps, there are others who are in similar situations as kaylee- where the owner has determined it is not her place as property to give him gifts at all.

A number of years ago, kaylee struggled with the idea that she had no independent money, nothing to give that wasn’t already his. She felt shame, because previously to her enslavement, she placed an enormous amount of pressure on herself to find exactly the perfect items for the people she loved. This one thought back to that beloved book and the struggles they had to stretch a dollar to buy or make something special to give to their loved ones... and how, despite the emptiness of their hands, their hearts were full. kaylee wondered if they captured something elusive that all the glitz and ribbons surrounding the holidays is missing now, something that she might be able to give as well.

It’s easy to get sidetracked in the idea of a “gift,” instead of “giving.” What you give someone else may often not be easy to see, or wrapped in colorful ribbon... but it is giving from the heart just as strongly. And the heart is a bottomless fountain which replenishes itself- so you never run out of love, gratitude, kindness, compassion, or forgiveness. There is always a way to express those emotions to others, if you look for the opportunity to present itself.

If you can capture some of the holiday’s warm spirit, and carry it close to your heart for the whole year... you will not only be giving something special to yourself, but to those around you. To those who want to give something to their owner, and yet are distressed for feeling as if you have nothing else to give: these acts can fill you with love and love, and those emotions color everything you do in service to him. Showing your gratitude- not just speaking the words, but living them- is a wonderful way to bring joy into even the most mundane of tasks. It is possible to please a man by being compassionate or kind to others, if that is the kind of traits he values in a woman he owns.

And while these are not “gifts” and should not be mistaken for such... they are the expressions of what lies within the surrendered heart.

This one wishes you a wonderful holiday and new year.
-kaylee{G}

kaylee has been the household property of Gabriel for over five years, and together they have shared their passion for writing on his website: www.gor-on-earth.com. Future topics, suggestions, feedback, and questions are always welcome. kaylee can be contacted at: kaylee@gor-on-earth.com