The Gift

Mid-day on Christmas Eve I heard a vehicle door slam.  A quick glance out the window revealed a red truck, and a good friend walking towards my back porch holding a box.  This is not unusual as this particular good friend comes over on a regular enough basis with boxes of stuff. This past summer it was produce to preserve and split with her. Other times it is a box of goodies for some project or other that we are working on.

As I opened the door and said "Hi", she thrust the box into my arms and retreated back to her truck for another box. "Merry Christmas" said my friend with a smile on her face. It was present exchanging time! We've been known to exchange very practical gifts - food, baked items, hats, school supplies (I love school supplies, but that's another story) or silly stuff, like necklaces from those machines outside discount stores.

I was stunned, and happy and deeply moved by her kindness and her gift of love.  She knows me, and so packed those two boxes with stuff I desperately needed and would truly appreciate.  I got laundry detergent without fragrance, and dish soap that won't remove the skin from my hands, toilet paper, stew meat and bacon - I love bacon and stew meat. Oranges - I'm particularly fond of oranges this time of year.  Potatoes and oatmeal.  Oatmeal is on the menu here most winter days.  And then there was the big package of duplex cookies. A favorite treat for me since childhood - and I do try really, really hard to eat only a couple a day.  Oh, yes, flour and sugar so I can bake.

I'm touched, and grateful. It's wonderful to be loved. It's more wonderful to be loved by a woman on a Calling. Thanks, good friend.