Gifts

According to Emerson, "the only gift is a portion of thyself". He's saying that a gift you give must in some way reflect who you are. He describes all other gifts as cold and lifeless and "apologies for gifts". Emerson is disappointed that very often, people do give the kinds of give that are impersonal and don't mean anything, therefore those people give apologies and not gifts. The giver should not expect anything in return. Emerson makes it clear that he believes that people frequently give gifts to get something in return. Giving a gift should not have any hidden motives besides wanting to show that you care about the receiver of your gift. According to Emerson, the receiver should not thank the giver if they do not truly mean it. ("Do not flatter your benefactors.") Honesty is one of the values that Emerson finds most important.
The best "Emersonian" gift I have ever received was a clay pot from Kevin Osbourne on my thirteenth birthday. Kevin is one of my favorite people ever. He's a 52-year-old man who is a designer for construction projects. He's the only person I've ever seen who has a real life gray French moustache which he styles with hair gel. It's so legit you wouldn't ever believe it. His house is the coolest place I've ever been to. The residence is in complete isolation from anything else, surrounded by Senora desert landscape just outside Tucson, Arizona. It's one of those modern-style houses with one room. The thing I love best about it is it's decor. The modern architecture is completely contrasted with a collection of artifacts from all around Africa. The adobe walls add to the atmosphere. I first met at his house when my family and I went for dinner there, and he must have noticed how fascinated I was with the tribal masterpieces around the room. Fast forward two years. I'm having my thirteen birthday party dinner at the Macaroni Grill in Tucson. The guests consist of my parents, my cousins, aunts, and uncles, and Kevin. It's time to open the presents. I save Kevin's present for last and open all of the others. They consist of socks, a Lizzie McGuire purse, journals, and make-up. These are all what Emerson would consider apologies for gifts. My family didn't give me personal gifts that represented themselves, but objects that they would think a thirteen-year-old would enjoy. When I got to Kevin's present, I noticed the nervous look on his face. I read his lips as he whispered to my dad, "I'm sorry David, I think I got her the wrong thing." I unwrapped and pulled out a clay pot and a book entitled "African Faces". The clay pot was 4,000 years old and was used to store water by a tribe somewhere in Africa. It was so cool! I beamed at Kevin and told him how much I loved it while the rest of my family remained puzzled. I felt like Kevin was giving me something to remind me of him, a piece of himself that was now in my possession. It was the best gift that anyone has ever given to me and a perfect example of an "Emersonian" gift.