The greatest gift

“The Gift of the Magi” is one of my favorite stories – probably the best holiday story I’ve ever read.

If you are not familiar with it, here’s the synopsis: It’s Christmas and a wife and husband are buying each other presents. This is no easy task because the couple does not have a lot of money – in fact their two prized possessions are the husband’s pocket watch and the wife’s hair. Despite this, they each sacrifice their prized possession in order to buy a gift. The woman cuts and sells her hair to buy a chain for her husband’s pocket watch only to learn her husband sold the pocket watch to buy combs for her hair.

I love this story because what this couple gave each other was far better than any material item; they presented each other with declarations of love.

You may be thinking this type of declaration only exists in fiction but it doesn’t. My mail today proves it.

My grandparents always gave fantastic gifts. They have given my family houses, appliances, vacations and fantastic souvenirs from their travels all over the world. Everything they have given is treasured but the gift I received from my grandfather today means something more.

This year was tough for my grandfather. A tragedy occurred, my grandmother passed away, which everyone suspected would happen but dreaded anyway.

I personally feared it because I had no idea what would happen afterward. How would everyone be affected?

But while I quack, my grandfather soldiers onward. Not only does he carry on, but he does it with love. That was his Christmas gift this year.

Opening an envelope from him this morning, I found a piece of paper that I thought was blank at first but then saw his small handwriting in the middle of it. There were only two words but it was more than enough: "Merry Xmas."