I long ago learned to take greetings and gifts in the spirit they were intended. There is absolutely no reason to be offended by something someone says or does for you, if their intent is good.

For the past several years I have participated in the annual “Secret Holiday Pal” gift exchange at work. An obvious, but appreciated, generic for “Secret Santa.” I enjoy giving (and receiving) gifts as much as the next guy or gal.

The way it works here is that there are two weeks of gift exchange. One is supposed to spend approximately $5 the first week, $5 the second week, and $10 on a final gift to be exchanged at a party on the final day. I am usually on an airplane headed south on the final day, but I leave the final gift for my holiday pal with someone else to present at the party, and discover what my secret pal left me upon my return.

So I returned to work today and saw my final gift.

There was a greeting card attached with a handwritten message:

“Another year of great blessing because of Christ Jesus awesome love.”

[I was a bit offended by the lack of an apostrophe after ‘Jesus’.]

While I believe the signer of the card has been working here for as long as I have, we don’t have direct business contact with one another. I have no reason to believe she knows I’m Jewish. I have no reason to be offended. (If I thought she did know, I would be offended, because her intent would be a clear one of proselytization.)

She also gave me

I have absolutely no reason to be offended by these!