I Wish I Was a Better Gift Recipient

I received two gifts this weekend for which I was less than gracious. It's so hard for controlling types like me to get excited when something doesn't exactly match one's expectations. But that's no reason to be less than gracious. Complete and total personality flaw.

Someone went through the trouble of getting me something I needed. They spent a lot more on it than they needed to. Not the first time that's happened. But instead of saying "Thank you" and looking past it, I think I said something really callous, like, "Do you still have the receipt?" What horrible thing to say! All I could think was, "How do we recoup the $30?" instead of, "What a sweet and thoughtful thing to do." Backpedaling a "Thank you" in there I'm sure did nothing to assauge the disappointment the giver felt with my initial reaction.

And to add insult to injury, I did it again. The very next day. Upon receiving a second gift, from the same giver, that was a different model from the one I wanted. Giver got a half-hearted "Thank you" and half smile that was a weak attempt to recover from yesterday's faux pas. How does one make up for something like that? And see the thoughtfulness and generosity in the heart of the giver and the intent of the gift? And realize how hurt said giver must have been at my reaction?

I know giver will recover but that doesn't make me feel less awful about it. And what if it had been one of my kids who was the giver? How crushed any one of them would be if they got a reaction that was like the one the original giver got. I'd like to think I would never do that to one of them. I'd also like to think I would never do that again to the giver. I have full intent to try to improve this flaw. I love giving gifts, I like getting gifts, but I'm sure not making it easy for certain people to give them to me. Wouldn't blame them if they stopped trying.

I hope next time to be the GIVER of deep and heartfelt appreciation.