Giving and receiving is a difficult practice. Not giving and receiving of physical gifts. Let’s look at the spiritual and the emotional gifts we share. For me it was difficult to learn this. It was easy for me to give because I want people to like me. But to receive something I did not want people to think I was selfish or needy. As a result, I never asked for help. It took me a long time to learn that if I give my time to people there will people to step up and help me when needed. For example, I needed to hang the Student Art Show this year. Because of scheduling, I was only given a certain about of time. I needed help. One person would have been plenty. I sent an email out to my fellow teachers. Seven teachers responded to my call for help. We had the show hung in less than an hour.

For Comfort

“For Comfort and Understanding…” - Harbinger *

The Guardians of the Universe chose eight humans, the Chosen, who would eventually evolve into the New Guardians of the Universe. These individuals each had different gifts to share. The Chosen were Thomas Kalmaku, Ram, Jet, Harbinger, Gloss, Floronic Man, Extraño and Betty Clawman. Harbinger, Lyla Michaels, is the associate of the Monitor, watcher of the multiverse. Harbinger can create and manipulate energy blasts, teleport through space and time, and create alternate versions of herself. With the Chosen she found friends to comfort and understand. Soon Harbinger moved to Themyscira, Paradise Island, home of the Amazons. Harbinger became friend and tutor to Kara Zor-el, who would become Supergirl.

Lyla Michaels, Harbinger, is a good example for us to look toward. Here is someone that needed comfort and understanding. But instead she found a way to offer it. Here is an idea, if we want something we have to give it. If we want love and support we give love and support. If we want a shoulder to cry on, we offer a shoulder to cry on. If we want comfort and understanding, we give comfort and understanding. This takes practice and it can be difficult at times but the payoffs are immense. We find that if we give it we get it back. We find the more we give the more we will receive.

Harbinger (Lyla Michaels)
First Appearance: (as Lyla) New Teen Titans vol. 1 Annual #2 (July 1983), DC Comics

First Appearance: (as Harbinger) Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (April 1985), DC Comics

First Appearance: (as a New Guardian) Millennium, #2 (January 1988), DC Comics

Last Appearance: Superman/Batman, Vol. 1 #10, July 2004

Creators: Marv Wolfman (writer) and George Perez (art)

* “After-Burn”, The New Guardians, #3, November 1988, DC Comics