With graduations pressing in on us from every direction, I’ve been thinking a lot about gifts and proper etiquette and things of that nature. Things have changed a lot since I graduated from high school and college and not wanting to just throw money and gift cards I got to thinking about the best gifts I’ve ever received. I find I don’t remember many gifts I’ve received…
Best Gift Ever!
Thirty years ago (gulp!) I received a toiletry kit from a family friend. It was a gift for my high school graduation. At the time I was less than thrilled with it. I wondered what possessed someone to give a young person a gift like that and admittedly I didn’t use it for a long time. In fact, I was probably in my last year of college before I pressed it into use.
Since then I’ve practically worn it out between all the personal travel and professional trips I’ve taken between two careers. In fact, I’ll be replacing the soap box before my next trip as it finally gave up the ghost. I suppose thirty years will do that to plastic.
When it broke, it made me a bit sad and I started to wonder if I could count up how many places it’s been with me. Alas, my memory is not that good, but it did make me remember how I felt all those years ago receiving it as a gift. And I began to examine why I now treasure it as one of the very best gifts I’ve ever received. My short-sighted, young mind never expected to live the life I’ve lived. Way back then I never thought I’d get to go to all the beautiful places I’ve visited. Thank goodness that family friend saw some sort of potential in me and had the foresight to play a small part in getting me ready to fulfill it.
She planted a seed of sorts. Made it a possibility that travel was in my future. She gave me something to work towards when I was a poor college graduate who could barely cover the bills. And now after all these years and all the traveling we’ve done together I don’t quite know how I would have gotten by without it.
I have a couple of nieces graduating this year. I hope the gifts they receive will inspire them as much as my little travel toiletry kit has for me.
So what do you count as the best gift ever received?
♥
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