Two friends loaned me rent, wouldn't take no for an answer, emphasized that repayment was not to be rushed. Others passed on job tips. Still others invited us to meals. My first inclination was to feel bad or embarrassed. Ashamed that the givers knew I needed.
Guilt is a funny thing, the dark side of the science of giftology.
This is one of the reasons I get edgy at Christmas, a time when stress runs high due in great part to all of the negative feelings we associate with gifts. We worry that we'll hate a gift or that our gifts will be hated. The ugly, inherent evil that sullies what should only be pure joy, whether giving or receiving. Which I learned, the slow way, is pretty stupid. Any hint of protest on my part netted me the standard response.