Ringing Ceders

Do you know what I like best about finding the perfect gift for someone special to me?  It’s knowing that everytime they use it or wear it, they will remember that I was thinking of them, carefully choosing something to communicate how much I care about them.  I hope that it will stand for years to come as a symbol of our friendship and the sincerity of my feelings of gratitude for their friendship.  How do I find the perfect gift?  I spend time first of all, thinking about my friend and the times we’ve spent together whether we were enjoying an activity together or a conversation.  I zero in on moments of intimacy, moments when I felt that I was privileged to be looking into that small window on their interior world.  Whether I walk away with the nugget that my friend loves lavender tea, or the sweet memory of a talk under a giant oak tree, I will connect my gift to that memory or understanding of my friend.  Recently, I chose a group of handcrafted bracelets and gave them to my yoga buddy.  She loved them because they featured a dangle of opal beads, symbolizing serenity – the exact trait we see as work on our poses together every Tuesday afternoon at the gym.