As with Christmas and New Year in some other countries, the current Ramadan season and the approach of Eid Al-Fitr has meant it is the time for gift giving and the sending of cards (see pictured).A woman who was travelling through life like a whirlwind realised that just two days before Eid [adapt this for Christmas in your country!] that she hadn't sent out any greeting cards.
So without a moment's hesitation she drew up a long list of friends and relatives and she hurried down to the nearby supermarket.
Sprinting through the shopping aisles she finally located some boxes of cards which pictured the peace, goodwill and serenity of the season.
She raced home, penned the cards, licked the stamps, tore out and dumped them in the nearest mailbox.
Soon she was back at the kitchen table, her fingers in a pose of prayerful relief.
A smile slowly softened her harried appearance and she congratulated herself for completing the chore with such efficiency.
Quietly nursing a cup of coffee she noticed the remaining cards still in their boxes and realising she hadn't actually bothered to read the message she picked one of them up.
The outside of the card had a lovely greeting but when she opened the card, to her horror, there was a message that consisted of this one line:
"This simple note is just to say...a little gift is on the way."
Talk about the spirit of goodwill and generosity! This wasn't the message she'd intended to convey!
So often we move at breakneck speed thinking we're saving the world but unaware that we're giving out the wrong messages.
Dr Geoff Pound
Image: Ramadan and Eid greeting cards.