This past Friday night, while back in the home on that dead end road that nobody knows — where childhood memories are scattered within – I sat on the floor of the living room as some of my family gathered to reminisce.
My sister had found an old book from when she was 8 years old. It was filled with unanswered questions meant to be posed for my grandma, so we figured what better time than the present to ask.
Growing up, my grandparents always gave such thoughtful gifts that were pristinely wrapped. Some Christmases, there were gift cards locked inside some sort of pinball puzzle and you were only ever able to get the money if you could solve it… I can still remember the laughs that warmed the room as my cousins and I raced to finish.
But as my sister posed each question, a beautiful lane of memories would appear before us- diverting our conversation in the most magical way. There was one memory in particular my sister recalled…
It had to do with how my grandma had wrapped a gift to her one year. I guess she had creatively taken an empty paper towel tube and somehow pinched in the sides and wrapped it to look like a piece of candy. My grandma grew curious to what she could’ve possibly have gifted to have wrapped it in such an odd shaped material. My sister replied…
“I don’t remember what was in it but I remember how it was wrapped.”
Call me cliche, but there was something really beautiful about that to me. Something deeper than just a paper towel tube.
All these years later, she doesn’t remember whatever physical item she was given, but what she does remember is the creativity, intention, and thought put into the wrapping.
Recently I was asked what I wanted for my upcoming birthday, to which I responded, “You are plenty.” And I meant it.
I think so often we take that kind of stuff for granted – human presence and thoughtful gestures. What a gift it already is to have a person or people in your life who you can look to and smile. People who make your belly hurt with laughs or listen when life just doesn’t seem to be going your way.
If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s this —
When I look back on my life in 5 years, or maybe even 10, I will not be looking back to remember the “things” I gained from others — what was inside the paper towel tube —, but instead the unique wrapping they provided in my life.
