Gifts and Giving

From the Shadowscapes Tarot, the Ace of Pentacles; from the Cedar Runes, "Gebo:"

          Several generations of lizards adorn this Ace; Moore states that in ancient Egypt they were symbols of good fortune. She writes, "The suit of pentacles is a promise that something will come, but it will require patience and work. What grows is what you make of it." The Canada geese are nesting at the neighborhood holding ponds again. Some are still sitting on eggs, but a few have fuzzy goslings tottering around. The geese have their work cut out not only in raising their brood but also in protecting them from predators like hawks and snapping turtles. Rarely does more than one survive. I have things I would like to "grow," but am I willing to make such a commitment of time and energy?
          Gebo can mean both a gift or the act of giving. As I watch the Canada geese parents, they are prime examples. They have their feathered children in their care for one year; after the spring migration the now-adult birds go their own way. There is no Mother's Day or Father's Day cards or presents given. The only way their efforts are repaid in any way is through sustaining the species by raising broods of their own. But isn't that what a true gift is - giving with no expectation of anything in return?