A regular birthday present? NO! The best birthday present? YES! Angie Kariyofili, my colleague, friend, creative guru and go to person astounded me with my very own jar of ‘52 reasons why she loves me.’ This present was a labour of love, thoughtful, touching, funny, and true that had me opening a birthday card every day for a whole year. I would wait for Thursday simply because that was the day I chose to always open a new envelope, ok then I’d put it in stories for you to read.
To me, the perfect gift is one that has thought behind it. And this had so much thought behind it. Thoughtful gifts are ones that say, ‘You are someone special to me, I have gotten to know you, I want to make your life better with the ability to make you know how much I know you’.
Truly, it isn’t about the ‘thinking of you’ part. It is about the time. It is about someone taking the time to be mindful of you, to spend time on you. The best gifts are the gifts of someone’s time because, unlike money, that is their own personal resource that will always be limited.
The purpose of giving handmade gifts is to give something that is personal and individual to the person receiving the gift. You might not save money in the process, but you give a particularly meaningful gift that will remain unforgotten.
My darling Angie, I will never forget this gift. It truly was one of a kind. x
