So a lovely little gift with a great big intention happened to me the other day and I just had to share..one lovely action rippled into several more lovely little events. I have to be a bit cryptic about this just to spare the person I am referring to any embarrassment and attention that they do not want...otherwise if I had it my way I would shout it to the rooftops...I would proclaim what a wonderful friend I have..I would brag about her until peoples ears and eyeballs bleed with all the promotion I am giving to her. Trust me, I would....
And so...a few days ago I received a message from a FB friend asking me to give her my address. This friend is not someone I know in the outside world..it has been strictly social media..actually just limited to Facebook. Lovely person..I enjoy her postings when she does post and she has shown the same for me when I post..at least on occasion she has cause ya know, if you know me, about 5,000,000 times a day that I do post can be exhausting to keep up with. Although I will say I think she must get awfully annoyed with me from time to time...who doesn't, right??!! I am a Facebook posting beast and am not ashamed to admit it. Ok so back to the message...she asked me for my address..although I barely know her I give it because...well, why not...call it a good vibe!! She tells me it is to gift me a book. Of course immediate reaction is pure elation...(I think I did a cartwheel...I think I did two in a row actually). I bragged to my kids...I bragged to my hubby and I waited as patient as an extremely inpatient person could for the arrival of this "book". I did not have to wait very long..I go to check my mail and in it a letter...from the friend. I think to myself "Ok so it's probably a gift card..a voucher...even a coupon for a book...just as awesome". Only it was more than that..something I totally was not expecting but at the current time much needed for myself and my little family. Again, I won't go into those details...that would be rude. But the reason I feel I have to at least mention this much is because it was a beautiful moment..a lovely experience that was in some weird way shared among two people that met and only know each other via Facebook. The power of social media, right??!! Trust me when I say that this gift was beyond anything that I deserve...and I almost did not want to accept it. Included in the lovely gift was a note...with the wishes for me to enjoy my Thanksgiving and to get myself a book or two. (You don't have to tell me twice lady...lovely lady!!)
So I RUN home (2 houses down) and call the hubby...I could barely get the surprise out. He is overjoyed...yadda yadda yadda I message her to tell her how much I freakin' love her!!....AHA....yes I was laughing and typing...crying..and laughing...laughing crying...and typing....and crying. My grandmother was right..no matter what religion you are..or not.."there are angels on this earth and you don't have to die to meet them." Whatever the word you want to call it...blessed...lucky...gifted by random chance...whatever, I felt the holiday spirit...and trust me I was not feeling it at all. Every one singing and praising their blessings on facebook...(showing off is the term I use)...I wished I could smack some people into reality or just smack them period cause I'm kinda a Curmudgeon like that and my inner me always hates those fake outer people. Don't get me wrong I have many things and people and events in my life to be thankful for (also, not everyone is fake for being happy and showing it)...I live with 5 of them and they mean more to me than anyone or anything and get me through no matter what the obstacle..the only 5 people worth this roller coaster of a ride called LIFE...the only 5 that know my "crazy" and love it and accept it and totally get it..my little family!! But still I am not gonna sugar coat the fact that I...scratch that....WE have had a very tough year...most of it financial and unexpected. Yes my life is far better than most with the same situation or worse but still tough for us and we have dealt with not just the tough stuff but tough people that have spewed their opinions on us and ignored all our efforts as a family that we do make. Blah Blah Blah....it was that moment that I opened that letter that made me remember "the angels on earth"...a reminder that we are not alone...with no judgement, someone sees mine and my husbands efforts and struggles...sees all we do for our kids...and wants to help(mind you she didn't even really know any of my issues..I am not that open on social media)..with no stipulations or explanations or proof. I am reminded of the beauty that this world also has (cause sometimes we need a reminder...we all can't be perfect in happiness in faith).
So with that.....I follow the instructions to a Teeeeeeeee...ya, know, it DOES state I should get myself a book or two. There was a special store I had in mind but they were not open at the time so I picked a Half Price Bookstore..a local one I go to. The peeps there are always so kind. Before we get there my husband asked me "What book are you looking to get?"...Duh, he should know..for the past year I have been on a mission to find an old vintage copy of Gone With The Wind. Tough mission, I could not find it. I did not want to buy it online(nor could I afford to)..and I did find it at Barnes & Noble but for the price of $30...a beautiful edition but I felt guilt about ever getting it. If it's vintage I want it to be at a Vintage price. The hubby says "Why not just come across the street and get it?" (Barnes & Noble is across from Half Price) I said "Nope". but a part of me wanted to say yes. We get out of the car...walk in...I do my traipsing through the aisles first before I start focusing. My husband says "I am gonna ask the clerk if they have it on file."...Standing in the middle aisle with my daughter..waiting..my husband comes back and says "Nope...they say they don't have it in the system as having any copies here...if you want we can go somewhere else??"...Always helpful he is!! I tell him "Noooo..I am not gonna waste gas we can't afford to check out another store..I will just have to get my next option and save that one for another time." Just as I turn right at the corner of the aisle I was beside my eyes glance downward to the right..and there it is....GONE WITH THE(FREAKIN') WIND!!! And a vintage copy at that. I could not believe it. I didn't even know what aisle I was on or that I was beside the 'M's" (for Margaret Mitchell). It was so meant to be that I get this book..I am still freakin' the phug out!! Oh boy did I snatch that copy and hold it ever so tightly to my bosom like a brand new baby...she is my brand new Vintage baby!!
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| My beautiful vintage-ish baby |
Okay so I am walking around with my new old baby girl...mission accomplished, I could basically die happy now when my hubby tells me to look around for something else...my daughter rooting that idea on...(as if I need all that....ppppfffttt). I decide on one more book...my daughter picks it out. She found it as the look of it called to her...she read the synopsis and that called to me so I said yes. Beautiful copy of the book Our Tragic Universe by Scarlett Thomas.
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| and it comes with black painted edges folks!! |
Thinking I was done..then I realized, I can't leave until I check out the clearance...I always check the clearance. There I found a copy of Revolutionary Road..reprint of the Vintage Edition (??). It was the cover I wanted. It was only $4 but $4 I felt bad about spending. I had a goal to not go over $10 and my seven year old was holding a movie copy of Shrek in 3D and my 4 year old had a stuffed squirrel (he LOVES stuffed babies). I go to the counter...debating still. She tells me the price..slightly over $10 so I tell her "I won't take the Revolutionary Road". The clerk...She says "Will you take it if I give it to you for $1?"...I jumped..."YES." Such a sweetheart she says "good then...you made the right choice..it's a great book..that's a great copy and it's gonna be worth it..you have to own it." It's Revolutionary Road, of course it is gonna be worth it. But still, so amazingly sweet of her to give it to me for only a Dollar for the simple fact that it's a great book and she wanted for me to experience it. That's why I love my local Half Price Bookstore!!.
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| lovely edition...and lovely addition to my collection |
So there's my story...my experience...my wonderful gift that started with a message from a lovely friend on Facebook. Now I am not the biggest fan of giving thanks to a bunch of Pilgrims on Thanksgiving...I side with my beautiful Native American Peeps on that one. But I am all for being with family...and honoring what my friend also stated in the note that she wished for me to do: Enjoy Thanksgiving with your family. With her gift that is very much a gift not only to me but to my husband and kids(books included), I now can!!(without all the stress and worry)
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| Mr. Squirrel that the 4 year old just had to have!! |
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