The Toilet and the Toaster: a lesson in givingA woman likes to receive gifts from her husband that are of a personal and intimate nature. It shows her that he knows who she is and what she values. It demonstrates that he’s paid attention to little comments she’s made through the year. For example, the loving husband bought me one of the new 18-inch-high toilets for my birthday in November. He even installed it, which is not something you’d expect from a commercial and ag loan examiner. Some individuals are now thinking to themselves, "Oh, that poor Glenda married a man who knows absolutely nothing about women." I have an alternate point of view. The toilet shows that he’s been listening to me complain about my knees and how it hurts me to sit down and stand up (forget about kneeling.) A toilet that’s 3 inches higher really makes a difference. It also has a snap-off toilet seat which makes cleaning easier. This tells me he understands that I am obsessive-compulsive about bathroom cleanliness.I was aware, in advance, that I was getting a new toilet. As my birthday drew closer, I told my mother that the loving husband was fretting over finding an additional gift that was a little more personal. My mother said, "Well what’s more personal than a toilet?" She had a point. Still he wanted something more traditionally personal. On the day of my birthday, I opened my surprise personal gift – a Kitchen Aid toaster. I couldn’t help myself. I had to laugh out loud because at that moment I couldn’t see the intimate nature of the gift. Now I understand how a toaster can be personal. I eat toast and peanut butter all of the time. If I’m depressed, it comforts me. If I’m happy, I celebrate with it. I eat it when I’m dieting and when I’m not dieting. I need toast and peanut butter. He must have noticed. One other thing – it wasn’t a Hamilton-Beach or a Westinghouse or even a Black & Decker toaster. It was a Kitchen Aid. And for years I’ve been saying, "A Kitchen Aid appliance is a work of art." He must have been listening.Forget the gold and diamonds. Forget the leather and fur. Forget the $200/quarter-ounce bottle of perfume. Everyone knows women like those things. Remember the gifts that show he really cares – the toilet and the toaster.More importantly, we must remember that the greatest and most personal gift we receive at Christmas does not come from a store. It comes from above in the form of a tiny baby Savior.Alert: The library will be closed all day Friday, December 24 and Saturday, December 25, so Thursday is your last day to check out something for the weekend. We wish you a very merry and blessed Christmas
