Gift Bearing Season

The end of the year always ushers in the festive mood, one celebration of sort following another. That Wify's birthday falls right smack in the midst of this merry season is pure bonus. And gifts are especially ubiquitous during this time, bearers seemingly grabbing the slightest excuse to express gratitude, to celebrate friendship, and to remember a good time by.

Wify's now painting partner, Mrs. Kim, has always brought gifts whenever she visits us, regardless of the occasion. Over time, we have had a nice collection of gifts from her, some of which are consumables the existence of which can only be inferred from photographic evidence. Armed with foresight, we did just that. Then there are gifts that can last a lifetime, or the remaining of a life time anyway.

One's siblings and children are another source of the gift stream, flowing and sometimes gushing on occasions that one may not have remembered, either due to memory lapses brought on by advancing age or more pertinently, the mellow state of mind one inevitably gravitates to with each passing day, no doubt hardened by life's vicissitude with its associated emotional rising and ebbing. But when the gift, in whatever form, appears, the joy, the sense of being remembered and appreciated, is no less exciting and warm.

In this respect, Wify is the proactive one, remembering the birthday of each and everyone of her siblings, even mine, not forgetting the parents and the children. Since we are apart from her folks back home, she always makes it a point to send a congratulatory message by phone when the occasion calls for it. Likewise, her thoughtful gestures are always reciprocated, a family thing of sort on her side of the family. Apparently, kind gestures tend to rub on others, evoking a voluntary response in kind.

Here then is a potpourri of gifts that have come through our door, and we will always cherish them, especially the thoughts that underlie each and everyone. Thanks to all for the good time, and the associated camaraderie, the congeniality, and the heart-warming feelings that they never fail to elicit.

This is one of six in the collection of coasters depicting traditional painting of Korean scenes from Mrs. Kim. Wify, enthralled by the vivid color and the delicate painting strokes, is planning to paint this one as a start.

This is the fruit basket from Mrs. Kim on another occasion. The yummy Fuji apples and the persimmons have long served their purpose. We especially marvel at her choice of the gift receptacle, its aptness, elegance, complementary nature, and utility value bearing testimony to the thoughts that go into it.

These are the gifts from our children on Wify's most recent birthday that fell on last week. The bouquet of flowers in the green globe from CY and Brian, the Godiva chocolate from WT, and the fragrant candles from CE. And WJ sent his birthday greetings from Malaysia. What nice kids we have.

Just to tag along, this is the fruit plate, comprising alternate concentric rows of water melon scooped out from a whole, seedless grapes, more water melon bulbs, kumquats from Sister Harriet, and organic grapes, just prepared by Wify this morning to bring to a Thanksgiving dinner over at Linda's later in the evening. The match with the underlying table cloth is simply uncanny.


And why not, a reminder of fall is in the air, the fall foliage just outside the Keys Dorm, taken on Tuesday when we fetched WT from Gainesville.