If I sell you something, we exchange items of value. You give me money, I give you stuff, or a service. The deal is done. We are even.

I give you something, you give me something in return. Its an exchange, a transaction.

A gift where some form of reciprocation was expected is not  really a gift, it is a transaction. Many people give gifts with the expectation of receiving something in return. That is a business deal.

Real gifts expect nothing in return.

When done properly, gifts work like nothing else. A gift gladly accepted changes everything. The imbalance creates motion, motion that pushes us to a new equilibrium, motion that creates connection.

The key is that the gift must be freely and gladly accepted, not given in anticipation of a repayment.

True gifts are part of being in a community and part of being an artist (because the giving motivates you to do ever better work).

Plus, giving a gift feels good, especially when done freely and gladly (without anticipating anything in return).