Unexpected Gifts

 My mother came over for tea tonight. We haven't seen her for a few days with everything that is going on for us. Doctors visits and lots of research have been taking up our time as we look for options to extend my husband's life for as long as possible. (Just writing that seems such an abstracted thing to be saying - it should be surreal but it is unfortunately a stark reality for us).

Mum arrived bearing gifts that were totally for no reason other than she thought it would brighten our day. It was so thoughtful of her. She got my husband a book on a New Zealand artist he has recently enjoyed an exhibition of. It is his biography and a book he was planning to read so he was pleased.

Mum knows me well - she found a cute little bottle of gin in some of my favourite flavours - raspberry and rhubarb. It looks pretty and delicious and will be such a welcome treat! It got me thinking about gifts and how the best part of the whole thing was the unexpectedness of it knowing that someone was thinking about you. It wouldn't have mattered what the gift was. It didn't have to cost any money. Just the act of gift giving means so much. However I won't complain that it was a pretty little bottle of gin!  I will be taking it up to our little holiday house where it will fit perfectly and be something I can savour when I am on a break. Thanks Mum!