What is the greatest gift someone could give you? So ask the Blogauary prompt of the day.

The greatest gift came from my parents—the gift of life and raising me till I could go on my own. Nobody holds you as #1 in their lives like your parents (if you’re lucky). When they are gone you realize that void.

Other greatest gifts bestowed to me. My better half saved me from being an alcoholic. We were blessed with great children. Doctors who removed my cancer among a few.

These all are the gift of life. And that gift can be given from birth onward. Tomorrow you may be asked to step in at an accident scene and save someone’s life. You might offer words of encouragement to someone who is severely depressed and unknowingly you save their lives.

You might offer words of experience to someone to lessen their load enough to continue going on. I was given a great gift once with just looks and smiles.

When I was going through radiation treatments there was this little girl with a tree full of bags and tubes to her. She had lost her hair and looked as if she was in a serious fight. But she had this smile and joy to her every minute while waiting for our turn. With her mom by her side, they would talk and laugh and play. Never a second of silence, or a frown or a complaint. I didn’t see her every day but often enough.

I believe I was 58 years old at the time when this transpired. I sat there as she smiled at me, thinking how lucky I was to have lived a full life after that second surgery. And a few months of being microwaved was a piece of cake and I should be thankful for all the wonderful life I had and enjoy each minute forward as she was. And not what was happening to me at the time.

Gifts of life are all around us. Opportunities to act. Opportunities to listen and see them. Grab one and give one and live and help others live.