The Five Gifts Meme

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Jan tagged me for the Favorite Gifts meme. Hmmm, this one's not easy for me, but I'll give it a go.

Name five of your favorite all time gifts, either given or gotten. In no particular order...

1. A container of dirt.
Sounds funny, I know. I was in group therapy for two years. It was through that group that my sense of self strengthened tremendously. Anyway, when you leave a group like that there's a leaving ritual that takes place and the group members all say goodbye, etc. etc. Some people gave me a going-away gift, and the gift from my therapist (the one I still see, MR) was a little container of dirt. It was the "earth" from a very special place for her, a place in New Mexico that is said to have special healing properties. She said, "Katherine, this gift is meant to remind you that you are a healer."

Wow.

2. Two gifts from my sister: a plate inlaid with beautiful mother of pearl and a diamond and sapphire ring.
The plate is really soooo beautiful. My sister Beautiful Blue Eyes Laughing brought it back from Mexico for me. It sits on our mantel and reminds me of her love and generosity. And the ring...oh, the ring. My sister bought it for me as a going-away gift when she and her family, and our mother, moved to South Carolina. It was a sad and difficult time for all of us; Blonde Beauty and Handsome Boy were only 10 and 7 at the time; losing them felt like losing my own children. My sister's astounding generosity was an acknowledgement that she knew, she understood what it was like for me to see most of my family move halfway across the country. My sister has a huge heart.

3. The wedding gifts.
D and I had to have an economical wedding. But it was so lovely because of how my friends volunteered to provide things...Runner CPA bought my wedding outfit, a turquoise silk suit. And she hired a personal shopper to find it for me. The whole experience was totally amazing. Seeker Executive paid for the reception, if you can believe that. Plus the fabulous wedding cake. Life Giving and her mother paid for and arranged all the flowers. Oh, they were all just so unbelievably generous. And there were so many other wonderful gifts, including the gift of family and friends from all over the country traveling so far to be here to share it all with me.

4. The china I gave my sister.
This was so much fun. Back when I worked at ARCO I once traveled to Hong Kong where, of course, the shopping is incredible. I bought my sister an entire set of dishes, Royal Doulton I think it was. Had them shipped back home. It took six months to arrive, but it was fun to give them to her. My sister really knows how to receive a gift...no matter what it is, she shrieks to high heaven! laughes and carries on! and just makes the whole event amazingly FUN. Oh, I smile now just to think of it.

5. I can't choose.
I'm thinking of several other gifts that mean so much to me...

  • The flowers D frequently brings me...
  • The little fan Genuine Beautiful Drummer Girl brought back from New York City...
  • The coffee and cup that Lovely Passionate Feminist gave me last Christmas. The cup says "just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly"...
  • How Booming Bass repaired my eyeglasses for me during the week that my mother died...
  • The multicolored cross necklace from Seeker Executive that has the line from Isaiah: "I have called you by name."...
  • How Runner CPA did my taxes for free for years and years...
  • The hug I received from my Uncle Weldon when my grandfather died when I was 11....
  • The trip to Canada from a couple at the church I served in 2004. It was a free week at their timeshare condo for me and D...
  • D's love...
My heart goes tender at the thought of these and so many other gifts. People are so loving and generous and kind.

Comments

Jan said…
Katherine, this was so much fun to read! (I'm glad you have today off!) The gift of dirt is a beautiful story. I am wondering if the dirt is from the little chapel of Chimayo? I'll guess it is. I've been there, so I like connecting that with you!
November 30, 2007 at 4:21 PM
Katherine E. said…
Thank you, Jan. When you first tagged me, I didn't think I'd be able to do it, but gosh, once I got started I couldn't stop!
November 30, 2007 at 4:29 PM
Elaine (aka...Purple) said…
Your wedding has a piece of each person so intimately integrated into it. What beautiful people.
December 1, 2007 at 12:03 AM
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