The Gift   Judith C. Issette     © Copyright 2002 by Judith C. Issette

Think about the person who is closest to your heart this holiday season. If you could give him or her any gift in the world, what would it be?

The holiday season is always a time when we think about those closest to us. We all have the pleasure, or chore of choosing endless gifts for those we love. Have you thought about the gift you will give to the one who is closest to your heart this Christmas? What if you could give him or her any gift in the world? What would you choose? Would it be a diamond ring, a new car, or perhaps a trip to Europe? Remember, it can be any gift in the world you choose.

I have thought about that possibility and not one, but three people who are closest to my heart right now come to mind. Since it is my fantasy and dream wish, then I can choose any gift in the world to give to them this holiday season. God has given me the chance to give something wonderful and loving to those I hold dear to my heart. The best part is, not only will I be the one to give the gift, but also the one to receive a gift in return.

The first person who comes to mind is my lovely mother, and the gift I would choose for her would be a few more years of precious life. Only two days ago, she learned the tragic news that her Ovarian Cancer had returned. I could hear the fear and despair in her voice as she told me about what her options were. Being a nurse, I already knew how grave the diagnosis was and what the treatment would be. It was another round of chemotherapy, and I hated the thought of her going through it again. The last round had left her body and soul so ravaged that she actually prayed to die. Sometimes, I think it was only her love of family that kept her from giving in to the death that was constantly hovering over her.

Some might think that such a gift of life would be wasted on a woman her age. Why not give it to a sick child, or a young woman dying of breast cancer? If it were in my power to give to all that were sick, so I would. However, this gift can only be given to someone who is closest to my heart, and at the moment that person is my mother. A woman who still has a zest for living even in her twilight years. Yes, the gift I would choose would be an extended life span for my mother. Perhaps, a truly selfish act on my part, but how could I not choose such a gift for the woman that gave me life?

The second person that is nearest to my heart was an easy choice. It is my sweet husband. The gift I would give him is a job. Not because of the financial gain so much, but rather what a job could give back to him. It would be one of those gifts that keeps on giving even after the wrappings are long gone and the season is over. Such a gift would give my husband his sense of purpose back. It would give him a feeling of worth and replenish his damaged self-esteem. I would no longer have to see the worried and hurt look on his face, a look that has been constant in this past year of unemployment.

Some might think again that this is a selfish act, and why not choose a gift that could ease the ills of the world or bring peace to troubled times. Again, that is not in my power. The only gift I can give is to the one closest to my heart, and I have chosen my sweet husband. He is a man who deserves a second chance at life, a man whose goodness touches all who come in contact with him. Yes, he is deserving of such a gift. Perhaps, a truly selfish act on my part, but how could I not choose such a gift for the man I love?

The third person I have chosen is my youngest son who began his whole life existence closest to my heart. The gift I would give to him would be a healthy and sound body. Again, this gift would be ever giving. It would give him the chance to have a real job, something he has never known in his thirty-five years. It would offer him the opportunity to fall in love and be able to promise marriage to his true love. It would be a beautiful gift that would enable him to dream again and have the life that most people take for granted. It would be a life full of opportunities that have been denied to him because of his physical handicap.

Again, perhaps it is a selfish gift on my part. Why not use that gift to heal the sick? Shouldn't such a power be used to heal the body and mind of ones less fortunate than my son? Oh, how I wish I had that power, but I can only give to the ones that are closest to my heart, and I have chosen my beautiful son, a gentle and kind soul that deserves so much more in life, a man who has so much to give if only he had the chance. Yes, he is more than deserving of such a gift. Perhaps, a truly selfish act on my part, but how could a mother not choose perfection for the child she has borne?

In all reality, there are no gifts such as I have chosen to give to the ones closest to my heart. I wish with all my soul there was, but those powers are only in God’s hands. He will be the one to choose the gifts for the ones closest to my heart, not I.

I can only hope He chooses life for my mother, so that I might truly enjoy her company and love for a few more precious years. If it were possible, this would be the gift I would give to her.

I can only hope He chooses to give a job to my husband, so that I can see the light come back in his eyes and we can begin a future together, a future that has been postponed too long. If it were possible, this would be the gift I would give to him.

I can only hope He chooses to heal my son, so that I might see the hope come back into his heart for the life he feels has been denied him. If it were possible, this would be the gift I would give to him.

Being an ordinary child of God, I guess I will have to wait like the rest of His eager children in this Holiday Season. I will have to wait to see what gifts He bestows on the ones I love and trust in His judgment.

What would you give to the one closest to your heart if you could give anything in the world? A thought to ponder!
 
 

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