Moments and Momentum #Blog Hop

Hello Everyone! Welcome to the Long and Short Review Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge.  Our theme the best gifts I’ve ever received. I’m to answer this in two ways. First, is the actual best gift – one time deal. The second, is the beauty of regular small gifts in your life. Both matter when discussing “the best.”

The One Gift

I was 18. He was my first love, and perhaps we are just bolder and freer when we are younger, but I’ve never had anything quite as sweet or cool or special since. Here’s how the story goes.

We were both in college. For what would have been our first winter holiday and New Years together, I was already booked to go on a trip with my grandmother and my sister. My boyfriend and I lived in different states, so its not like we could connect for a night. Sometimes things just can’t be worked around. We’d just have to wait until next year (because I was sure he was the one and there would be a next year.)

My sister, grandmother and I returned from our trip on December 30. My parents picked us up at the airport. When we arrived back home, we found a giant box wrapped up in a big red bow on our driveway. My boyfriend could not bear the idea of us being separated for New Years Eve. He drove down to my house, packed himself in the box in the freezing cold, and waited for us to return. Without doubt, that has been the greatest single gift anyone has ever done for me.

And no, we did not end up together. But I remember him with deep fondness, and he taught me so much about relationships. With modern day social media, we are still connected.

The Continuous Gifts

One thing I am amazed by is my kid. She’s always been a gift giver. From day care, she used to ask me to organize gift bags and special treats for her friends. She still does. She also does it for me. When she had no money and no mobility, she’d make drawings and tape them around the house, or create coupons for me (e.g. perfect for a day, do your laundry) kind of things. For the most recent mother’s day, she had planned a whole day until I got sick. I’m better now, and we held mother’s day on a different Sunday. She also made breakfast and dinner, including the shopping and cleaning, and did my laundry. I struggle to express how warm and fuzzy and loved these regular gifts that I’ve received over the years feel. Small things matter.

Visit all the the other bloggers participating on the Long and Short Review Weekly Blog Challenge.