May 6, 2003

• Gifts For No Good Reason

  
  

  I usually think that there must be a specific kind of reason behind gift giving.  Birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Valentine's Day, or maybe you're sick in the hospital so I bring a gift to cheer you up.  A gift just because I feel like giving you something is rare.  Not because I'm not a nice person, or ungenerous.  I just don't think in terms of gift giving unless something prompts me in that direction.

  
  

  I'm married to a man who prefers to give gifts for no good reason.  He would argue that a gift given without prompting is giving for the best reason.  This kind of gift giving says to the recipient, "I was thinking about you; the anticipation of your pleasure gives me pleasure; you are on my mind even when I'm not in your presence."  Now being the contrary person that I am, I don't always hear the message as it's intended.  Sometimes gifts make me suspicious.  Flowers on Friday are fine but for some reason if I get flowers on Wednesday I start digging for the bad news.  I can't quite believe that I'd get midweek flowers if he weren't trying to soften some blow or another.  You can see that living with me can be a trial for a gift-giving inclined man.

  
  

  Some gifts are thrilling no matter what day of the week they arrive.  About a week ago, Tim said to me, "You'll be getting a present in the mail."

  
  

  "What kind of present?"

  
  

  "Oh, a little something I saw that I thought you'd like."

  
  

  "Can I have a hint?"

  
  

  "Okay, it'll be coming in a Barnes and Noble box."

  
  

  Well, that narrowed it down to about a million possibilities.  But it did the trick. I've been eagerly watching for the mail carrier's dusty red car to spin around the cul de sac.  Even with my binoculars the flag that signals "mail's arrived" can't be seen from the house.  So I've made lots of trips down that driveway, just in case today is the day.

  
  

  Yesterday, what with the rain and tornado's in the area and whatnot, I didn't go to the mailbox.  So when Tim returned home last night, he stopped.  And the box was there.  I've never been one of those people who tear into their presents flinging wrapping paper hither and yon to get to the prize.  But I was on that box like a duck on a June bug.  RRRRRRIIIPP.

  
  

  Okay, now you tell me, does the man know me or what?  He gave me the Dictionary of Symbolism, Cultural Icons and the Meanings Behind Them.  Whooo Hooooo!  Flowers on a Monday, that would make my eyebrow do this o_0 as I wonder if he's leaving town.  But a dictionary in which I can look up the meaning of flowers.  That's - that's - well you wanna know what it means if you get rose petals instead of a rose?  How about the difference between a red rose and a white one? 

  
  

  Some of my favorites on the list:

  
  

  Agave  -  "I remain favorably disposed toward you despite your knavery."
  Garlic-blossom  -  "What I feel for you is the utmost indifference."
  Lupine  -  "In you I found heavenly charms and splendid blossoms of the spirit combined with those of the heart."
  or how about - Mignonette  -  "Like this flower, quietly fragrant, without the pomp of color, you have pleasing talents without outward show."

  
  

  I think Tim's favorite was the Snapdragon - "Your wanton mischief will be avenged upon you bitterly."  Oh, yes, there's quite a bit more than can be communicated with a bouquet than just - "hey, Kroger had flowers on sale." 

  • 8:44 am
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