The Most Memorable Gifts
Gifts define relationships.
Suleika Jaoad in Isolation Journals shared her meaningful birthday celebration as organized by her mother in Switzerland. Later, she offers a prompt that asks readers about relationship-defining gifts received and its current whereabouts.
Three gifts come to my mind.
“Gifts are not just things. They are beautiful thoughts that come to life.
The Simpsons gift.
Over my 30-something years, my husband gave me a box of CDs of the entire 22 seasons of The Simpsons. I was overjoyed receiving this. Aside from the fact that I love, love, love watching the series, it was a symbol of how my husband knew me so well and how my joy is important to him. It was an expensive purchase certainly, which may have meant nothing to him because he totally does not get Homer humor. This made it more special. Alas, it is now in storage. I also never got to rewatch the entire thing especially that Homer and Bart are now aboard Disney plus.
The Birthday post.
“You have always taught me to be bold, be silly, be strong, be confident, be independent and intelligent. You taught me to be brave and fierce. To be real. To not worry about fitting into glass slippers, but instead to go out there and smash those glass ceilings. Thank you for being the best.”
No words can perfectly capture how this post defines my relationship with my stepdaughter. It is not all love. It is hard work and understanding.
Where is the post today? It is now buried in her pile of social media posts. I saved a copy for my own, especially since it spawned a little issue with her mother. I told my daughter she can delete the post but she chose not to. It is enough that I read it. The whole world does not need to know. But she chose to keep it there.
I appreciate that.
The Sex and The City Coffee Table Book
As a fan of the series, I was elated that my youngest daughter went out of her way to find me a gift that I will cherish…with a little help from my mom. I remember my mom telling her, “Get her that book. It’s sure ball to make her happy.” And she did.
She rummaged through a book sale to find it. Yes, I was happy to receive it. More than that, when I heard the story behind it, I regarded it more special because of the dynamics that went on between my mom and my stepdaughter. All rooted in affection, their simple conversation was a testament of how they both cared.
Today, the book is in my treasure cabinet. From time to time, I pull it out and leaf dreamily through the pages.
Gift-giving is one of life’s love languages, as Gary Chapman formalized. More than a mandatory token or a symbol of a celebration, it is a social lubricant, a special way to define relationships.
Gifts are not just things. They are beautiful thoughts that have come to life.