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| Tuesday, December 16, 2008 |
| Gift Giving |
Finding a perfect gift is like going on a blind date right after breaking up with your old boyfriend. There’s too much pressure, and not enough time. Gift giving, like dating, is a ritual that should allow you to express your feelings, be happy and comfortable and feel your choices are just right.
Some of us are performers, and dating, like gift giving, is our moment to dazzle. Most of us are spectators and more comfortable with quiet communication. When you choose a gift the people you care about will think your gift is just right whether it whispers or shouts, is cashmere or polyester.
Great gifts come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes you find them in the most unexpected places. One legendary blonde is a perfect example. She became famous, without making a video or using the internet, when she was caught in a stranger’s bed. Alone in the woods, she helped herself to a comfortable chair, a perfect bowl of oatmeal, and a nap in that stranger’s famously comfy bed. Her ‘story’ was that everything she chose felt just right, and she never apologized, and she never looked back. We’ve been talking about her since 1837. Part of her story’s power lies in its simplicity, some in its ability to be interpreted on so many levels. Over these many years her story has been a warning, a song, political spoof, and the phrase “The Goldilocks phenomenon describes a situation which is just right, a concept used in astronomy and economics.”
When I’m searching for a gift, I usually begin in the children’s section of a bookstore. My favorite children’s authors tell a story that is simple and clear, short and powerful. I find their words express the feelings I would like to. I’m often not the only grown-up giggling to myself or wiping a tear away while reading a little book, sitting on a small chair at a tiny round table. Beautiful illustrations turn children’s books into works of art with a hard cover, so they last forever. This year’s list of children’s books I’ve wrapped to give includes themes for “children of all ages.”
For my sweet and favorite insomniac: It’s Time to Sleep, My Love by Nancy Tillman and Eric Metaxas. For someone whose grace and kindness overwhelms me: Forever Young By Bob Dylan. For a friend whose beauty, spirit, and fashion sense is inspirational: Different Like Coco by Elizabeth Matthews. For ‘girl’ friends, regardless of age, who love me for my silly self, and remind me what’s really important: Fancy Nancy books, by Jane O’Connor.
For friends of all ages with a curious nature, or a love of travel, a fascinating trip through the human body viewed from the inside out. The latest book by MacArthur Fellowship and Caldecott Medal winner: The Way We Work, by David Macaulay. For ‘boys’ of most ages I share my fascination with comic books. I’m a huge fan of this underrated form of literature. American comic books, and Manga, which are Japanese format stories, are great mini epics filled with action, adventure, and love. Most classic comics are numbered and part of a series with a hero who is misunderstood. He usually has a strong sense of right and wrong, battles villains, and saves a ‘girl’ who loves him. No Manga list, or any other, would be complete without my favorite book of the year: The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need by Daniel H. Pink.
We share your hopes, your wishes, and dreams for good health, happy holidays, and peace on earth.
- NancyLabels: holiday ideas, Nancy
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posted by My Sensei @ Tuesday, December 16, 2008   |
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