Oprah's Favorite Things Show was on today. She surprised the town of Macon, GA in their municipal auditorium with that announcement. They all thought the theme of that taping was going to be something else. You should have seen the reaction. Men were weeping, women were fainting, collectively everyone went out of their minds. It was fabulous to watch because La Oprah always gives away some fierce stuff and this year was no exception. I especially loved that after she gave everyone a $3000 refrigerator with the built in LCD screen TV that the crowd went even nuttier when they found out they were each getting a $250 gift card from Target. Folks were praising Jesus for the Target gift card more than they were praising our Lord and savior for the Terminator-like fridge. Writers' strike or no writers' strike, now that's good television.
It was a lot of fun watching so many people in full on jubilation. Getting presents, and really great presents, well, hell, there's no downside except during tax time. Feh, what the heck, it's good to just enjoy it. And the best thing was to watch all the faces--astonishment, excitement, awe, and happy intoxication of the room's energy, it was all there. It was a fine change of pace.
In the big picture, there really hasn't been anything to be that joyful about: Iraq is still a mess, gas prices are going up and a recession is looming. And, yes, Buddhist monks everywhere, I know there are plenty of gifts that don't cost anything--the gift of my health which I never take for granted, the gift of friends who come with you to the strangest places, the gift of a happy marriage and well adjusted and talented children. Those everyday gifts should never be overlooked, ignored or taken for granted. But there is something about a material thing, a gift not just during the excess of the winter holiday, but any occasion where you see something that connects and know it's going to put this goofy grin on a loved one's face if they had it. It's not about the money or the occasion, but all about what you know and the miles you had within someone's life to know it. It's like knowing a secret about the perfect gift and then pouncing on it when we finally see it. My favorite gifts have run the gamut from a Wonder Woman Pez Dispenser to earrings with my birthstone in it, not because of their cost but because of the knowledge that both were a perfect fit.
So you know I've got to ask: what were some perfect gifts in your life?
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4 comments:
Bought myself a convertible.
I always know just what I want.
We watched that show and it reminded me of your post about crying because I was a little emotional watching all those people lose it.
Best gifts: My mom built a marionette theater out of a refridgerator box--painted it lavender, the whole nine yards. And, of course, there was a marionette hanging in there. That was the year Thriller came out. She (the marionetter) danced to PYT over and over again.
Big Wheel when I was four.
Dirt Bike when I was eight.
The best gift ever was in fourth grade. It's important that everyone understands my hatred for school rivals W's hatred for coherent thought. I was called over the intercom up to the office. I thought I was in trouble for something. I damn near crapped my pants when I saw my dad standing there, but I wasn't in trouble. He was there to pick me up and take me to a World Series game. That didn't suck at all.
The best gift I ever got was only 21.5 inches long. It came unwrapped, but needed no batteries to run. Over the years the accesories have become more expensive, but it is truly the gift that keeps giving.
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