I’m blessed to be able to introduce Carol Jennings, friend, writer and fellow sharer here this week!

I think it’s entirely too easy to get caught up in the act of sharing concrete objects, things you can hold in your hands and see without having to look deeply. But if you ask me, the best shareable things in life can’t be held in anyone’s hands, and they aren’t visible in plain sight. The funny thing is, when we share physical objects we can’t help but also share many other things, things that are perhaps less concrete but definitely more powerful.

Sharing something tangible usually begins with an exchange of smiles. The power of such an exchange is often underestimated, as smiles have been shown to change stubborn minds, to ignite everlasting friendships, and to brighten days. Often, sharing then encourages us to disclose a story, maybe one describing the meaning behind the item that is so important to us. The movie I’m handing you may be the one my mother bought me on my sixteenth birthday, the last birthday she ever spent with me. Naturally, we soon reach a point in the sharing process that involves disclosure of emotions. By telling you the reason behind my love for that movie, I’ve revealed my grief and my sentimentality. These are two feelings that you can relate to, and suddenly we’ve shared something much more powerful than a DVD.

By lending someone an object, a sharer has probably saved her friend some money and a trip to the store. These things are clear. But it’s also important to remember that an act of sharing has likely done something much greater than this. An act of sharing highlights the beauty in sharing a smile, the pure goodness of sharing stories, and the healing power of sharing emotions.