Saturday, November 26, 2016

THE KEYS OF HAPPINESS

Every now and then I go into my childhood days and recall many warm memories. Memories mostly from mom and dad and my grandparents. But I didn't stop living when I married and had kids. The memories that I hold now since I married have been extra-special and deeply important to me. That may be why I don't mention them too often.

One of the best and most dear memories I've had since marriage was our first Christmas. Ellen my wife was 6-months pregnant with my daughter Ellen and we were struggling as a young married couple.

Gifts were not a whole lot, in fact, we were so poor I had a wrist watch and it had stopped about a month before and I wasn't going to fix it. I know I got Ellen something because I can't imagine I didn't. It was a first-time gift from me to her as her husband.

Funny thing is after 46 years ago I still remember what she gave me. It touched me deeply and I always associated what Ellen meant to me because the gift was the epitome of who she really is. Who she is, is a thoughtful loving person who always touched my heart to the core. She is not demonstrative, it's not in her nature, but she is loving, in what she does, feels and says.

As a mom, she has great courage, meeting so many hardships as a mother, never coming apart, always getting off the floor after a punch in the stomach, she is brave and inspirational to me in that regard. Her acts of love are always done quietly, without fanfare. All too many times I realize this fact after it happens, she has no telegraph service for her actions of love.

So, what was this gift so valuable to me that I can remember it so many years after? Well, in a stocking was a little object, that I looked into and found, yes, you guessed it, my watch, working.

No comments: