I learned something today. I guess I didnt really learn it today, but rather, I came to the realization of something that I already knew. I went out to a store to see if I could find a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law. And I came home with nothing. Not because I didnt see a few pretty or nice things at the store, but because in my mind I wanted to find something meaningful for her. And there was nothing on any shelf in that store that seemed meaningful enough for someone that I love. Yesterday I had been taking down Thanksgiving decorations and putting up Christmas ones. In a drawer of candles I noticed a couple of things that my brother had given to me. One of which was a Christmas present that he had made for me a few years ago. And as I was at first, very sad about it, I started thinking. And looking around the house it started to sink in. There is something in just about every room of my house that was made by Nicholas Erlach, with a lot of effort, and given to me (us) either for Christmas or just because. My brother had started making our Christmas gifts years ago. At first, I thought...Why wouldnt he just go to the store and buy me a sweater? Why waste so much time making something when people want things off the shelf. I thought it was odd (but hey, thats Nick) and after a couple of years we just started to expect it. Hmmm, whats Nick going to make for us this year... Theres a blanket with my name on it in the spare bedroom. Theres a wooden puzzle that he had lacquered a picture to and then used the jig saw to cut the shapes. Theres a piece of artwork made of drift wood from the Pacific. A clock. One of the more memorable for me was when he lived in Seattle (for the second time) and shipped all of our gifts home. For me, it was an old copper wok with a wooden handle. And not just the wok, but a story to go with it. He had come across an old Asian man selling all of his possessions along the street. He told my brother that he was trying to save money to return home (to where, I do not remember). My brother helped him by buying the wok, and also provided me with a memorable gift. But not only a wok and a story, but he also included a recipe for an authentic Asian dish that he loved. And also the shippable, non-perishable ingredients to make it. That is one of my earliest memories when Chris Ungvarsky and I started dating. That was the year I received the wok - about a month into our relationship. And we made my brothers recipe in Jen Walter s kitchen on her gas stove. I no longer have a gas stove in my house now, only electric. But I still have the wok. Its been packed away, just waiting for its next use. Last year, for Adams 2nd birthday, Uncle Nick showed up with his gift for Adam. It was a 6-foot-something tree, cut from wood and painted, with a hinge in the middle so that it could be folded in half for easy transportation. What care and time and effort my brother had to make that tree. Its purpose? Adams growth chart. I have to think that my brother made it with the knowledge that although he would not physically be here to watch Adam grow, that he would know each year his height would be marked on something from Uncle Nick. So what did I learn? I realized today that Ive been learning from my brother for years. I realized that gifts from the heart and the hands can mean so much more. Theyre the gifts that you treasure. Theyre the ones that you dont throw away, or replace when they get old or out of style. Last night, as I Christmas shopped on-line for the children in our family, I found myself only purchasing things that will foster their creativity, things that will help them learn, and things that will help them find their passions (if that means being artistic, scientific, or musical). I found myself looking for something meaningful, just like I was doing today at that store. Meaningful doesnt have to be something cut from wood or sewn together from fabric. It can be an experience or most importantly, time. Earlier this year I bought Pirates tickets for my dad for his birthday/Fathers Day. We all went, including my aunt and cousins. My dad talked about that game for weeks after. Time and experiences can be a great gift too.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 23:01:10 +0000
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