© 2009 Marica

045 – Any day

For one week of every year Lynsey and I are the same age. That week began today – his birthday.

Lynsey has an interesting modus operandi regarding present giving for special occasions like birthdays. He believes you don’t need to wait until the actual day to give someone their present, instead you give it to them whenever the gift “appears” to you (i.e. when the spirit moves you) or when you feel it is the right thing to do or when the person really needs what it is you are going to give them. So in our world you can get a birthday present months before your birthday or even months after your birthday. Any day of the year could be your birthday. These gifts Lynsey gives are always meaningful. He will have thought long and hard about them and the giving aspect is always a surprise.

Initially I found this approach odd but over the years I have grown to like it a lot. So much so that I have adopted my own variation of Lynsey’s practice. I still like to give a gift on the actual day even when I have already given that year’s birthday present at some other time.

This morning as we awoke to the alarm clock at 5.30am I reached down for a small package I had wrapped and hidden under our bed. When I presented the gift to Lynsey he was surprised because he had already received his birthday present from me weeks ago – a new SLR (single lens reflex) camera. This morning’s gift was an added extra. A gift I knew he would love. I wrapped it in shiny gold paper and gold cord (guess who loves shiny gold things?). Inside was a book, Big Weather: Poems of Wellington. He was thrilled and I was even more excited. I so love giving gifts especially when you know the person so well that you know they’ll love what you have bought them.

As I left for work I looked back to see Lynsey lying in bed reading. I was smiling and so was he.

It is important for us all to remember that any day is worth celebrating. Don’t leave it for special occasions only. Any day is an opportunity to give something to someone else or do something for someone else. Don’t wait until tomorrow because it may be too late.

Manifesto
15. Every day make a difference to yourself and others.
42. Every day celebrate. Who you are. What you have achieved. Things that matter to you.
49. Every day is a good day.

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