Someone told me this week that she had figured out a good gift for a friend who’s going through a tough time this Christmas. “I made a list of the things I’m good at,” she said, “And I offered it to her.”

Her story is a parable of one of the central dramas of our lives: to find out what we’re good at, and then to be generous with what we discover.

My hope for each of us is that we regularly turn everything we know about being good friends and leaders on our own lives: Ensuring that we are deeply satisfied in our work and that our closest relationships become an enduring source of happiness.

From my tradition, I wish you a Merry Christmas, and with it, some fun, mystery, joy and gratitude, and maybe even a surprise glimpse of a generous Creator.