Gifts of a Meaningful Nature

Macaroni and Cheese BFF necklaces by ArtbyAshLigon

Starting in a few days, I am hitting my Spring wall of gift-worthy events: many birthdays, Mother's day, graduations. As usual, I have been approaching the shopping for these gifts with a hellbent focus on being thoughtful. What has this person mentioned to me within the last year? Which gift is something they would never buy for themselves? Who is creating something that my loved one doesn't even know exists, but would love?

And even though I want to put all my mental energy into the people I most care about, lately, I can't.

My mind has been clouded and my heart heavy for the last month or so. Without too much detail, my feelings have been deeply hurt and my expectations have not been met. Because of those ever-increasing troubles, I have been putting off the most basic activities and exerting myself beyond my presupposed limits.

And yet, I desire to show friends and family in my life that I wouldn't have even come this far without having them around.

So, yes, I sent out my entire collection of postcards to people around the country. I insisted that my children mail letters to their friends in order to foster the love of sharing feelings and appreciation. You better believe I pondered my dad's insistence that he misses "[his] friend Mark," so I bought him this linocut-printed pillow for his birthday.

Some of those envelopes may have been tear-stained, and I was interrupted writing those postcards by having to call 911 for my sick husband. But no matter what is going on in my personal life, my loved ones deserve to feel my love.