More than a month before my 40th birthday, I began receiving birthday cards on a daily basis. My big sister, Jenny, actually mailed to me 40 birthday cards, one a day. The last card coming on my birthday along with a gift she had made for me, a book of thoughts, ideas and lessons straight from her heart to mine.
The covers were decopaged with photos of my sisters and I as very young girls, and the photo on the back of Jenny comforting me as a baby. Inside the book, she began it with a beautiful introduction, and then the next pages with a list of 40 things she learned about being 40: “Growing up, out & older Here are a few of my favorites:#1 It’s okay to tell your pajamas and slippers you love them.
#2 It’s not allergies that make my nose itch -it’s my new mustache.
#6 Grey hair is beautiful and it goes with any color.
#10 I’m too old for peer pressure.
#15 I still think guys with rock band hair are cool.
#18 I refuse to be uncomfortable if there is another option.
#23 My thoughts are worth writing down.
#24 My butt is big no matter what I wear.
#40 I need my sisters more than ever
.She went on to list her favorite words and sounds, everything from forgiveness, giggle and hopscotch to chippy, sassafrass and “Hi Jen, it’s Cath.”
She wrote a pages of things she learned from me and pages of her favorite Bible scriptures. And on the last page she wrote the most beautiful letter of love to me.
This is probably the most special gift anyone has ever made for me.
Thanks sis. 143.
5 comments:
Sounds like a Happy List...You can make a Happy List instead of keeping a journal. Then it becomes a Happy Book! The memories are still there when you read it back and they don't all have to be happy things. There is even a Happy Book Creed.
(which is not with me right now) but this is: From the book My Grandfather’s Blessings by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.:
Proust said that the voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new vistas but in having new eyes. New eyes can often be found in very simple ways…I sometimes suggest to people…that they review the events of their day for fifteen minutes every evening, asking themselves three questions and writing down the answers to these questions in a journal. The three questions are: What surprised me today? What moved me or touched me today? What inspired me today?
oh, that is one of the sweetest things I've heard! What a treasure.
Very sweet gift
I love the idea of the cards and the book. I'm going to borrow this idea for a gift for my hubby for our 25th anniversary. Thanks so much for sharing. You are truly blessed to have had two sisters. I have an aunt that I grew up with as a sister and I've already emailed the cute clipart you posted to her. Thanks for sharing.
Wow. You made me cry. This was an incredible gift. I'm happy your sister's daughter has you and your husband now. My sister's are living, but I've lost a brother and my first husband. Such sadness there is. Thank you for your beautiful posts.
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