If you’re new to my world, I am one of the most analytical people you will ever meet. Even if something I do or say seems spontaneous, you can bet I have thought about it at some point. Or, in some cases, my mind kicks into overdrive, and I analyze the situation as I speak.

Consider the piece you’re reading, for example. I analyzed a question about gifts and wrote several hundred words to figure out exactly what I should say in this post. Finally, I decided the most direct route would be the best.

The inspiration for this piece was the question, “What is the greatest gift someone could give you?” There is no answer to this question in some ways because the greatest gifts I could ask for have already been given to me.

I have a wife who loves me dearly. I have four beautiful, intelligent daughters who are not too embarrassed to admit they are related to me. My friends have stood by me through thick and thin over the years, and I have accomplished more than I ever imagined.

To me, those are all God-given gifts that cannot be matched. Of course, if you’re a hair-splitter like I am at times, you could ask me if I wouldn’t be just as grateful to an organ donor or something along those lines.

Certainly, I would be grateful for such a gift, but let’s keep this in the realm of reasonable expectations. In answer to the question, I would say two things fit the bill of the greatest gift in my world: trust and honesty.

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