A discovered gift

The Lord your God is living among you. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Zephaniah 3:17

It wasn’t that I set out to find my gift it just happened.

Returning home from school Bonzo leapt up to greet me and in our shared excitement a ribbon from my plait got between his teeth. The game had started. Off he went. Me following him. Down the passage. A sharp right into my parents bedroom. Then under the bed.

I was a thin, agile child and was soon with him. We were not alone in the gloom and the ribbon was soon forgotten. Lying under the bed a few inches from the bottom of the springs was a rectangular brown cardboard box. Flatter than a shoe box but much longer. It was at that moment that excitement gripped me. It was then that my mind raced. Shall I open it? Is it perhaps hidden as a surprise? Can I open it?

I don’t think I answered the questions but I know my mind was racing and the last question was answered by a strong push of the lid open, till it gave a bit against the springs.

There lying with tissue paper round her head was a face, eyes closed with long, curly red hair all around her shoulders. Her dress was pink and she was mine. Well, not quite yet mine.

I dived out fast from under the bed the ribbon forgotten. Now at 65 the memory of receiving her as a gift has gone. She next appears as part of classroom scenes and sick in bed scenes, as she joined in all our pretend play.

She is a gift remembered.

However devoted you are to God, you may be sure He is immeasurably more devoted to you.

Meister Eckhart