LITTLE BUT MUCH

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Gifts are one of the five love languages (If you don’t know what a love language is, I strongly recommend you read ‘Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman’).

The thing I love most about gifts is that it communicates the heart of the giver (at least to me). It also makes me remember that person; almost every time I use that particular gift.

Some people feel that it’s only when you give ‘heaven and earth,’ that you’ve given gifts (as if it’s yours to give in the first place). The truth is that when it comes to gifts; no matter how much or how little, it makes a whole world of difference. I understand the dilemma though, of having to give gifts to someone who seems to have it all. I’ve been in that position more than a few times but I’ll just share two of my experiences. The first was during my Service year. Naturally, I served in a hospital; which was located in a community in South – South, Nigeria. Due to the fact that it was a hospital in a community (co-owned by both the government and a private company), we had no CMD, CMAC and the rest… We just had an MD (Medical Director) who was also a Medical Doctor. We always addressed her as Chief. Service year was fun for us as corpers because she was God sent to us. Today is not about my Service year, even though I hope to share my wonderful experience sometime. So, gift giving… After my POP, I went back to my PPA which was also where I lived. I got various gifts; some unexpected, from people I didn’t even know were appreciative of me. Of Course, my Chief outdid herself; her darling PA was leaving. Hehe… The real issue came when I wanted to get her a surprise gift. To say I was confused, would be the understatement of the decade! Why? This woman wa(i)s quite well-to-do. She had so many clothes than she knew what to do with, designer bags, perfumes, make up stuff, wrist watches, jewelries, you name it. Her shoes would probably last her till whenever. The first day we went to her house for lunch, I was amazed. The architectural design was flawless! The interior décor was on another level. When I asked her about it, she said they both pitched in on the design and that she did the interior décor herself. She had a flat screen tv and I think, an air conditioner in her kitchen! I’m sure by now, you get the gist. And I wanted to get her a gift, how? Kai! I racked my brain, no way. I consulted my mum; the reigning champion of gift giving, no way. It was such a big deal to me because I like to give what the receiver would actually use. I had to pray for an idea o, funny as it sounds, it’s the truth. And after some time, it came to me just like that, and I was like, “Eureka! I have found it!” I didn’t run out of no where though, lol… So, yeah.. I got my gift ready and told her on Friday before she left work for home, that please when she comes to work on Monday, I would be gone by then but that she should collect something from so-so person. She wasn’t expecting a gift and so was left wondering what she was supposed to collect. Sometime that same Monday, while I was minding my business as usual, I saw a very long text message on my phone from her on how I was the best person and how my parents had an angel for a daughter and how she hoped they realize it (me, I was like, tell them o); how thoughtful and helpful my gift was; how she wished I didn’t have to leave; how she was going to miss me so much and finally; how she loved me so much! Awww… I had tears rolling down my eyes while reading her message and I was grateful to God for the wonderful idea of a gift that would communicate my heart to her for being so good to me. And of course, I forwarded the message to my mum so that her ‘uche ga-adi ya.’ Hehe… I’m sure by now, you all are wondering what I gave her, right? Okay, let me satisfy your curiosity – I gave her a small directory of some sort where I wrote down all the departments of the hospital; the names of each staff in the various departments; their designations and finally, their phone numbers. Why I knew this would be so helpful was because sometimes, when she had to pass across an urgent message to some of the staff, she had to call us over the phone and tell us to go tell them. Apparently, it never occured to her to get a hospital directory. That wasn’t all, I also included a letter wherein I wrote honest words from my heart. She later called and told me that while reading the letter, she cried so much like a baby and that her husband who was right beside her kept wondering what was making her cry so. Finally, he asked why she was crying and when she told him the reason, he shook his head and said, ‘you and this your children sef.’ Hehe…

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4 Discussion to this post

  1. Efe says:

    Thanks for sharing this, at least now I know I don’t have to go all the way to get one gift.

    • Ada says:

      You’re welcome!
      That’s right; give what you can, however little. It’s the thought that counts.

  2. Chioma Ogbodo says:

    You my dear are a gift to me and many others

  3. Ada says:

    Awwww….baby, you are so sweet.
    And you too are one to me.

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