Giving can be a way to leave an indelible mark, convey a precious message.

I n this Advent or Christmas season, many of us have a mixture of feelings, the anxiety of looking for the right presents, of hoping we can get together with those we love, or at least a few of them, thinking maybe we will feel good about it all again, and yet yearning for more. When Christmas comes along each year, I once again think of people who are dear to me, how much I miss them, those that are far away, or those not far, but not in touch, or those that were part of my childhood and...

It happened one day when I was standing in front of a mirror. After a shower, I saw myself as usual, my torso very familiar. And those little parts are so familiar as well, those odd parts for which I have no use. But there they are. They are there on every boy, every man, every big football player, every wrestler, every one of the guys in high school I showered with after PE. We are not surprised. They just come with the whole package. But why? By now, perhaps you have guessed what I am...