In the Gift of Time

I made a list of upcoming birthdays and anniversaries for my family "crew". It's amazing how many celebratory moments can embellish a calendar page. As the summer show comes to an end and a new season kicks off, I find myself in the annual dilemma: how to celebrate my husband's birthday.

This will be my twentieth performance at surprising him with a meaningful gift. My fingers itch with excitement over the applause this years gift will warrant. NOT!

Is it just me, or is buying that perfect gift for the leading man in your life torture for anyone else? Anyone? (Cue the crickets)

I've been racking my brain since Christmas to single out a show stopping gift he'll enjoy, appreciate or simply use. It's not that he has it all. He simply wants little and even less of the lime-light. For Kevin the greater gift is no gift. Translation: No Production, Birthday Marquee, Costumes, Guests, etc. But to a person who enjoys celebrating dramatically, giving gifts and blessing loved ones with standing ovations, this is painfully off Broadway. The reality my husband doesn't eat sugar and wants me to spend as little as possible practically predicts a flop.

Does anyone else hear the Mission Impossible theme? So the challenge at hand (should I choose to accept it); give a gift that isn't really a gift, costs next to nothing and will feel special. REALLY? Oh, how I'd love to rewrite this part of the drama (Sigh). I accept...but only because I'm running out of time.

Staring at the clock's menacing ticking hands, an alarm went off. I know exactly what to give Kevin for his birthday...time!

In our culture we are called to be "ON" stage performing in various roles each day. Sometimes having to change costumes and make-up, until we are spinning like the hands on a...you get the point. Looking back to our colorful calendar, I realize this plan of action could actually bring about a hearty "BRAVO!" I'll give Kevin the gift of time and he can determine how to spend it.

There's a saying on the wall in our home; "We do not remember days, we remember moments." I find this true. I dare say, Kevin and I would struggle to recall the many gifts we have exchanged through the years. Yet, we could easily spend a good deal of time, recalling special moments in our lives.

This isn't exactly new in our gift giving. For Christmas the past several years we decided to forgo the melodrama of gift card exchanges. Hoping to bring back the joy in giving, we now gift our adult children special events. In other words we give them time: out on the town, together, and without our perfectly precious grand-babes. They love it and we are inspired! My step-mom gets lunch and an afternoon to catch up on each other's lives. Our drama loving niece prefers going to the theater. And my grand-daughters enjoy celebrating at the tea house.     

So who's on your list of gift recipients over the next few weeks? Have you struggled with what might bring them joy? Perhaps a gift of time is not a one-size-fits-all remedy. Then again..."there's no time like the present!"

Still, when you consider no one is promised tomorrow, a gift of time today may prove more valuable than gold.