Sunday, April 12, 2009

No Grand Gesture Needed

I'm not really a grand gesture type of person. What I mean is that I don't expect grand gestures from my family or friends and specifically my husband to honor certain significant events. In all honesty, receiving a card is usually adequate. Rarely, is that all I end up with but I think my husband would agree that I'm pretty easy to please in the "gift" arena for birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries.

So, yesterday driving back from Phoenix I made the comment to my husband that this would be the first Easter in my entire life that I wouldn't be getting an Easter basket. You see my parents have always given us, even as adults, an Easter basket. That is until my parents moved out of state a few months ago and the first round of holidays and birthdays celebrated without them is beginning to circulate. I said this to my husband, not because I was really that disappointed or bothered by it or that I expected anything from him-I'm a 31 year old woman after all--, but more as a statement of fact; an observation and an acknowledgment of a tradition ending or possibly just interrupted. Topic changed and I didn't think anymore about it.

Today I woke up to a beautiful bouquet of flowers and an Easter basket with a few goodies. Aside from being incredibly grateful I was shocked. This from the man who practically forgot my 30th birthday. Don't get me wrong, my husband is a thoughtful and generous guy, but this was touching because I didn't even have to hint deliberately. It was something that caught me completely off-guard because I wasn't at all expecting it or even hoping for it. He simply said, "I didn't want you to have to have an Easter without an Easter basket."

I guess it's gestures like these, seemingly little but incredibly thoughtful, that I appreciate the most.

4 comments:

Nancy said...

That is such a gesture of LOVE! I would have cried.
I'm the same way as you. I appreciate a card, because I know my husband and son love me very much all year long. Sometimes people use "things" to say they love someone instead of showing it on a daily basis.
One year my husband gave me a little commemorative book about Princess Diana for Christmas in my stocking and I cried because it showed me he knew and accepted how incredibly sad I was when she died.

Robyn said...

I teared up reading that --what a great husband. Don't you just love it when they go and surprise you like that?

I'm glad you had a happy Easter!

Joanne said...

Oh these are so the moments that matter, the ones you'll remember forever. What a sweet gesture, glad you had a nice Easter!

Moxymama said...

Nancy, I agree it is more about how you treat someone day in and day out. It was incredibly thoughtful of your hubby to get your the Princess Diana book.
Robyn, Thanks! The surprise is almost better than the gift sometimes. :)
Joanne,thanks...certainly the thoughtfulness stands out more than the actual gifts, especially over time.