Gifts, Presents, Cadeaux

Gifts, Ungifts 

I just learned the French word for gift today. Cadeau. plural Cadeaux. This is providential, because it reminded me that yesterday I had written down a list of the gifts I got in the last week. I wrote because I didn’t want to forget any of them. My memory is that bad, not kidding. I tried walking into BP yesterday with one of Brent’s crocs on one foot and one of my flip flops on the other foot. A good memory is not one of my gifts. 

I also had to write these gifts down because it was a difficult week in a lot of ways, and after listing those difficulties, I had to list the gifts for some perspective. I know I should be like modern influencers and share about more of these difficult parts of my life on here, but I can’t for various reasons.  For one thing, My husband doesn’t like it if I write a lot of details about him and about our life online. I have tried to respect that and learn from that and share innocuous things or talk about the parts of my day that don’t involve him much. He’s not the only one who feels that way; one or more other family members are on his side too. I’m not writing this in judgement, because I understand why they feel that way. I’m writing this in the interest of honesty and perspective.

Gifts I got this week

A handmade bracelet from one of my girls. 

The smile on her face every single time she saw it on my wrist all week was amazing. Remembering to tie it on every morning was not so amazing, but that smile helped kick my memory into gear when I was blearily stumbling out the door to go to work at 6:30 every morning. 

The priceless gift of a sour candy from a child. I know it was precious to him; he doesn’t have a lot of candy and he was saving these 3 candies, But his generous soul had to give one to me “because you shared your gum with me yesterday.” I felt a little guilty eating it. I felt so honoured and loved by this selfless gesture. I felt unworthy and unprepared to be a care giver and trusted person to this 10 year old. I felt anxious about breaking the fragile bond we’ve developed. This tiny gift came with huge responsibility. 

A few packages of Bologna from a family who never has much money for extravagant or extra groceries or sometimes even for what I would consider necessary. So often sharing looks the most effortless from people who have the least. (Any one have ideas of ways to make bologna palatable?)

A whole jar of chopped and frozen garlic scapes from one of Pelly’s proficient garlic growers. Their garlic is precious to them and I know they worked hard for this jar of scapes. 

A beautiful pile of fresh brown farm eggs from my auntie.