Early this year, a box arrived with my name on it. Always eager to rip open a package, I slid a pair of scissors along the tape seam and pulled the box flaps back to reveal a handwritten card from my friend Anna. I smiled. If anything is from Anna, it's going to be meaningful, because Anna is the Queen of Thoughtful Everything. Under the card, wrapped in tissue paper, was a jar with a wooden lid and a tag that read "Encouragement Cards" tied around the mouth with a pink silk ribbon. "Pull one whenever you need one," Anna had written in the card. Inside the jar were maybe a hundred folded scraps of paper, each with a different message Anna had typed--quotes from authors, sage advice from thought leaders, short poems celebrating tenacious women.
I pulled one out and carefully unfolded it.
We are stars wrapped in skin. The light you are seeking has always been within.
I immediately burst into tears--not so much moved by the quote, but rather overwhelmed by this simple gesture of love from a friend far away--one I don't even see that often. The time and thought that went into the gift — the handmade details, the careful selection of quotes — it all felt so personal and purposeful; and consequently, I felt seen and loved. Perhaps even more meaningful was that it wasn't my birthday or any special occasion to receive such a gift. But weeks earlier, when Anna was in town and we had met up for dinner with some other friends, we all caught up with stories and our highs and lows in life. Anna listened. She took my stories home with her, didn't forget them and took the time to follow up with a purposeful gift.
I can't help but be inspired by Anna to send more thoughtful little gifts to let my friends know I was listening when they told me that parenting their teen is especially hard right now, or they're worried about their mom's health, or they're excited about a new job they just landed. And it doesn't even have to be a gift. That same Queen of Thoughtful Everything Anna once sent me a postcard for no reason with "Strengths I See in You" on one side and a list of five things she wrote on the other. I kept that postcard taped to my refrigerator for months. I also immediately found out where she bought the postcard because it's a brilliant simple way to let someone know you see them (it's from this postcard pack, and I bought it the same day I received mine).
We all know who the thoughtful gift givers are in our life and likely remember the simple gifts with meaning more than the big expensive gifts we've received.
Want to be that gift giver?
Here's a little roundup of some of the most thoughtful simple gifts readers have received.
- A "box of sunshine" while going through a hard time--a box full of favorite little things that are all yellow.
- A blanket with the lake where I spent my summers embroidered on it.
- We have a rotating basket we share. When one friend is going through a hard time, we fill the basket with goodies and drop it on her porch. We've all received it, and we all donate to it when someone proposes a friend needs the basket.
- Baby shower: a personalized stamp that says "The Thompson Family Library" with a stack of children's books.
- A Spotify playlist made just for me.
- A single slice of chocolate cake left on my doorstep.
- Prisms. All four of my grandparents died last year--rainbows are a reminder of them.
- My dad gifted me a paper with my name on it for my 18th birthday. He told me I gave it to him as my first signature as a kid. He held onto it for more than ten years.
- A friend was gifted a memory cord when she was a preteen with instructions to tie a knot in the cord every time something "big" in her mind occurred. She's had it for 20+ years and the cord has so many knots in it. Lovely tangible way to see "core" memories.
- A summer read book and a bottle of red nail polish.
- Wind chimes gifted to me when I lost my brother. I think about him every time I hear them.
- Anonymous May Day bouquet hung on my front door in a construction paper cone. Exactly what I needed.
- From a friend: a small rock from our fave lake campout site, wrapped in wire as a necklace.
- On my mediation day, my friends all wore shirts that said TEAM (my name).
- A new desk nameplate from Etsy for a promotion.
- My dad used to give me mouse figurines. He passed away 20+ years ago. Every once in a while, a friend will send me a mouse. It means so much because they know it's something my dad did.
- Our three grown kids recreated their first portrait together. They thought it was funny, but we cried.
- When I was 21, I bought my first car. I took my dad with me, but I did the talking. My dad was shocked how sexist salesmen were. We left two places because the salesmen wouldn't talk to me--only him. I bought a VW because that salesman was the kindest. That Christmas, my dad had found a VW hubcap on the side of the road, shined it up and gave it to me. It is still my favorite gift ever. He was so proud of me taking no shit from car guys.
This Week I'm Enjoying:
- Two other great postcard sets to make thoughtful giving easier: these Pep Talk postcards from Emily McDowell and these Any Occasion postcards by Mari Andrew.
- We signed Nella up for our county's Youth Business Fair where she sold wands at her Nella's Wands booth last weekend. It was very hot but such a great learning experience for her.
-I want this print in my office to help us all reframe our "I can'ts"
- One of my favorite photographers has a new website, and it's glorious fun.
- Miss the good of days of tight-knit neighborhoods where kids yard-hopped until dusk and everyone knew everyone's name? My sister sent me this article about putting the neighborliness back in neighborhoods, and I found it refreshing.
- Speaking of neighbors, our neighbor's son was home from college last weekend and cooked Indian food for his parents. They brought me over a little plate and after two bites, I was scrambling for my phone to ask for the recipe. Consequently, I made.this deliciousness two nights later, and it will 100% be added to our favorite dinner repertoire.
- After a search to find pajamas for Dash's current very picky pajama phase, he has fallen in love with these which are as soft as they are old-man cute. We've already ordered a second pair.
- I've found my celebration kindred spirit in this book I'm reading. This quote from it is proof: "Living with the 'just bake the cake' mentality means you forget being too cool or grown-up to be thrilled by ankle-size stockings filled with candy canes or cookies obnoxiously overloaded with sprinkles. Forget waiting for the big win or the national holiday. Most important, forget needing a 'good reason' to celebrate. As my mom proved, simply meeting someone for the first time is cause for celebration. Be on the lookout every single day for these opportunities, and then, when you spot one, cannonball straight in. Find a reason. Any old reason. Just bake the cake." ~Christini Tosi