| |
| |
|
Holidays Information |
|
|
|
The Gift My Brother Couldnt Give
From the book A Heartland Christmas Collection In the first years after my brothers, sister, and I left home, there were several Christmases in which our ability to give fell far short of our desire. In fact, we often found ourselves getting very creative if we were going to give any Christmas presents at all. But those early Christmases also contained some of the finest gifts I've ever received, and one of those was the gift my brother Jim thought he couldn't give. Jim had chosen a difficult road, working for himself instead of collecting a weekly paycheck like the one I got from the department store where I worked, and his funds were always limited. As Christmas approached, we all searched for the perfect gift for each family member. Since I knew Jim harbored a secret desire to write, I bought him two beautifully hardbound books consisting of nothing but empty pages, so he could fill them with his own words. They weren't expensive, but I knew he'd love them. As we gathered around our parents' tree on Christmas morning, Jim's smile shown brightly as he watched his loved ones begin to unwrap the strangest assortment of gifts I'd ever seen. One by one, family members exchanged mystified looks as they opened one totally unexplainable gift after another. My sister received a well-used meditation candle. My youngest brother opened a half-empty box of incense. But Jim just sat cross-legged on the floor, unfazed by the puzzled looks and embarrassed thank you's. Just when I'd decided my brother had lost his mind, Dad opened his gift. It was a tattered paperback copy of Lord of the Rings, which I instantly recognized as one of Jim's most prized possessions. Then I knew what he'd been doing. That Christmas, Jim had chosen to make gifts of most precious things he possessed, the things dearest to his heart. In sharing his most beloved treasures, he also hoped to share the joy they'd given him with those he loved most. It didn't matter that Dad mostly likely would have had more interest in wading through "Volume 7" of an encyclopedia printed in Swahili than the psychedelic world of Tolkein. He understood the profound meaning of his son's gift. Fighting back tears, Dad held the treasured volume in his hands and said, "I promise to give it back, son, as soon as I've read it." Smiling broadly, Jim turned his attention to my gift to him. Although he was clearly moved by the books, a strange awkwardness washed over the room as I realized he had no gift for me. After a long moment, he said softly, "I looked through everything I owned, and I couldn't find anything I thought you might want." Now it was my turn to fight back the tears. Apparently, my brother had no idea of the incredible gift he'd just given me in that simple statement. After all, what could be a greater gift than to know someone thinks highly enough of you to want to give the very best he has-and comes up short? I smiled and said, "The look on your face is gift enough for me, brother," and I meant every word. I got many other gifts that year, but I don't remember any of them. And I've been given hundreds of presents since that Christmas long ago, but I can recall only a few of those. But my brother's gift-the one he thought he couldn't give-will always be one of the most precious gifts I've ever received. © 2004. Gary E. Anderson. All rights reserved. About The Author Gary Anderson is a freelance writer, editor, ghostwriter, and manuscript analyst, living on a small Iowa farm. He's published more than 500 articles and four books. He's also ghosted a dozen books, edited more than 30 full-length manuscripts, produced seven newsletters, and has done more than 800 manuscript reviews for various publishers around the nation. If you need writing or editing help, visit Gary's website at www.abciowa.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Holidays - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Ill Be Home For Christmas Direct Answers - Column for the week of November 29, 2004I have been married 25 years. We come from completely different backgrounds. Overcoming Loneliness this Christmas Christmas is one of those times when the social norm is to get together with our families even if you never see them during the year. For those people who are isolated from their families, or do not have a family, it can be a time of great loneliness and even depression. Patience Ever since my girls were little, I've tried to teach them patience. I well remember getting them to count to ten when we had to wait for something. Give Presence Not Presents Throughout the year we have many gift-giving opportunities to show love to those around us. From Christmas to Birthdays, Valentines Day and more, our thoughts turn to finding the perfect gift. Event Planning 101 One of the tools I use as a professional organizer are countdowns.What exactly is a countdown? To put it simply, anytime a special event, party, or holiday is anticipated (okay maybe dreaded :), create a MASTER list of EVERYTHING you need to do. 5 Tips to Reduce Holiday Depression While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people all over the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news events and the business climate, the more we are depressed. Low On Cash For Christmas? Try Gifts in a Jar Time is money, and right now you don't have either the time or the money to answer the call of the shopping mall at Christmas. The only way you can show your friends love, peace on earth, goodwill towards men is by shopping at Macy's, so you think. Texas Exotic Hunting Texas Exotic Hunting is a popular sport in this state. Hog hunting in Texas and dove hunting in Texas are both considered exotic. Set the Mood- Halloween Decoration Ideas When Halloween comes around and you want to throw a party or you are a room mother for your son's class at school, how should you decorate? Here are some Halloween decoration ideas to get you started.Halloween decoration ideas do not have to be complicated or time-consuming. Three Steps to Reduce Holiday Stress for Your Kitty The annual holidays can be a very stressful time for your cat. This is the time of the year when that strange tree goes up, bright trinkets are hung (but all your cat hears is "No, no, bad kitty!" when she tries to explore them), delicious food is prepared (cats need not apply to eat it!), and lots of strange people come tramping into the house. Birthday Gift Ideas Birthday celebrations date back as far as biblical times, when celebrations among Pharaohs and other significant individuals have been mentioned. There is even some evidence to suggest that in pagan cultures people feared that evil spirits lurked about an individual on their birthday because they tended to become more malicious around important events in one's life. 10 Holiday Sober Savers 2004 1.) BEGIN NOW !!!Don't save your shopping, decorating, cooking, wrapping, and cleaning for the last minute. Hoo Hoo - Owls and Superstitions, Thats Who Superstitions surrounding owls have a long and ancient history. These nocturnal creatures often appear in horror mystery films, have been associated with dark, haunting night themes, and grace our Halloween décor each fall. Valentines Day Love Letter - The Best And Most Romantic Gift Is Also The Least Expensive! You don't have to spend a fortune this Valentine's Day to show your partner that you love them!One of the most romantic, creative and inexpensive gifts you can give your partner this Valentine's Day is a heartfelt love letter, written from the bottom of your heart!A heartfelt letter from a man can mean so much more to a woman than just a bunch of roses, box of chocolates or a piece of jewelry.However, most men feel challenged when it comes to expressing their love in words, especially in writing. Fathers Day Gift Guide Fathers Day is the one day of the year when you can really show your dad how much he means to you.Dads spend 364 days of the year looking after you so its only right that you spoil them rotten one day of the yearFathers and GiftsWhilst most fathers are notoriously difficult to buy gifts for a bit of thought can produce some great gift ideas. Secrets to a Stress Free Holiday December and all the excitement that comes with it can either be one of the most pleasant times of year or one of the most stressful. Even though the holidays are a couple of months away, there are things you can do to make it an extremely pleasant season. Dont Want Another Carpet Sweeper This Year For Christmas? Unique "Drop-A-Hint" Plan Sends Your Gift Wishes Via E-mailSure, they love you and each year they try their best to find you the perfect gift. But let's be honest, sometimes they need a little help. The Origins Of Mothers Day Today Mother's Day or Mothering Sunday is celebrated all over the world. For florists and card shops the event is one of the highlights of the year, but the roots of Mother's Day are not commercial. The Fathers Day Celebration Fathers Day is another reason to celebrate another responsible adult in the family. If some of our media sources would have it though, you would think that there are no real fathers around to celebrate on Fathers Day. Do It Yourself Gifts Sometimes gifts that you purchase are not as personalized as you would like. They do not quite seem to fit the idea you had in mind.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
