Thursday, March 09, 2006
Realizing the important things
Yesterday was my sweetheart’s birthday. I get anxious around this time of year because it’s her special day and you don’t want to disappoint, right? Months ago I had found a little gift that I thought she might like. (Sidenote: I was so proud of myself for having found one so early. But this also means I had to hide it for two months. You shoulda seen me searching the house for my hiding place!) But the thing is, I have terrible taste. (I do better at shopping for kids.) So I didn’t know for sure that she would like it. I could only guess. The gifts she always likes most are always the ones she asks for. The ones I pick out on my own are usually never seen again. I’m an attentive girlfriend (I like to think) but damn do I suck at the gifts.
The problem is because we’re so different. She’s girly and I am so not. I know she often has problems shopping for me too. So we’ve downplayed the whole gift-giving thing because we’re just so bad at it when it comes to each other. Besides, the gift should never be the focal point of an occasion anyway. I’m a firm believer in that (and not just because I dislike buying gifts). Throughout the year we’ll come home on some random day and announce, “I have a present for you!” Eyes light up and we’re all smiles even for the littlest things. (My taste buds also rejoice when she comes home sporting a bag of Baskin Robbins take-out.) It’s all about the reassurance that you were thinking about each other while apart.
So we’re sitting in our favorite restaurant and I’m feeling apprehensive about my choice of gift. I start hedging and expressing apology for a not-so-great gift. (I know it’s not so great because she said thank you and left off the part about liking it.) But she stops me. Treasure that she is, she tells me that being with me is the only gift that mattered. I could see it in her eyes that she really meant it, and suddenly everything was okay. I could relax and quit worrying about the superficial things. When you realize what’s really important, life is so much simpler, y’know?
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Categories: • Lesbian Love