A tale of how to give. The act of expecting gratitude changes one’s gift into some sort of barter.
The Gift
Perry and Priya, two rabbits, happily moved through the forest. They discussed the weather and the especially abundant food supply this year. They stopped once in a while to say hi to the skittish mouse or the watchful deer. They would stop themselves on occasion when they thought a fox or an owl were close at hand, but otherwise they remained in a decent mood. Then Priya stopped, forcing Perry to turn around and wait as she gently picked a small daisy. Holding it in her mouth they went along their way. It was a short while longer when they approached an old hollow log. Here, with Perry looking on, Priya quietly snuck up and placed the flower next to the log, then bounded back. “Hurry!” she whispered, as they jumped off into the underbrush. Perry, confused now, asked, “Why did you sneakily leave that flower for Old Bull Snake like that? I bet he would have been grateful knowing it was from you.” Priya then replied, “if I’d wanted his thanks, then I would have been trading with him… not giving to him. And I don’t trade with snakes.” And so the day became even more beautiful.
This is my journey
— Nate Long “Owl”
pen and ink