Becoming rich is a dream for many people because they think that if they get more money they can get a better quality of life. However, I have found that wealth is not only the most important thing for human beings, but being happy and giving happiness to others are also important. I heard someone say, “It is shameful to depend on silver and gold for a happy life.” I learned two things from the story “The Gift of the Magi”, written by O. Henry, and these two things totally changed my view of the world. The first thing I learned in the story is sacrifice as well as giving. Second, I learned that receiving is also a hard lesson. A contented mind is a perpetual feast. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Concepts of Giving and Receiving: The Main Themes of the Novel The story is about a couple who are not really rich and have given up what they have, even though they sold their favorite things, they have each other other. I was really impressed with how the author made the readers feel how foolish and misguided Della was, but landing on the final statements of how wise they were. Give from your heart and no matter how much you have. They love each other and sacrifice their things, and this explains that true love can make us sacrifice for those we love. Giving is a way that shows how much we care for others and there is no ladder to love. Although the gifts that Della and her husband had bought for each other could not be used, they confirmed the truth of love. The couple in this story reminds me of my grandparents, they have so much love for each other and never put themselves before others. Sometimes they are so tired of helping others that they have no choice but to take a day for themselves and relax. However the gift of giving has a great feeling that not everyone fully experiences, I feel like everyone needs to experience it before their life ends. Also, giving is a great lesson I learn from this story. We receive real gifts or blessings during the holidays and we always get help from other people. Receiving is actually easy for everyone, yet it is difficult to be grateful and happy with what we receive. In the story, after the couple received gifts from each other, they did not blame each other, even though they felt shocked at first, and in the end they hugged each other. It doesn't matter how much the gift costs or how useful it is. Gifts and the help of others represent the mind. For example, when I was a child I received birthday presents from my parents. Once my mother bought a gift that I didn't like, and I started crying at the family gathering, and I even hit my mother. Now I think I was immature and I feel sorry for my mother. He was in pain when I was born, so I should be appreciated for everything he gave me. In conclusion, don't judge others for what they have given you. No one has an obligation to help you or be kind to you. Be grateful when you get some from other people. Receiving is no more difficult than giving, but it is still one of the behaviors of life. People often see giving as an obligation rather than a desire to make someone happy. Likewise, people assume that someone simply has to give them something. History has taught me a lot. I was a person who only cared about myself and didn't like paying for others. Also, I used to complain a lot about the fact that my family wasn't that rich. After reading this story, I changed my mind about the value of the world. It's a great reminder of the importance of giving and receiving. I hope I can always tell myself to cherish the happiness and gratitude in giving.