I just finished reading a heart warming book entitled The 13th Gift. It is a true story about a woman and three children going through their first holiday season after the sudden loss of their husband and father.
Twelve days before Christmas during the first holiday season after their loss, they unexpectedly receive a poinsettia on their front steps with a note that is it a gift on the "first day of Christmas" from their "true friends". While unwelcome at first, the gifts. which contine to appear with notes following the "Twelve Days of Christmas", eventually help pull the family back into the holiday spirit and help them realize they will survive beyond their loss.
The "true friends" were simply anonymous gift givers who remained anonymous for fifteen years until finally revealing themselves to the recipients. When received by the right recipients an anonymous gift can be so meaningful. I thank the author for the last two sentences of her acknowledgements at the end of the book which read, "I send out a prayer of hope and gratitude for gift givers everywhere. Your generosity of spirit fuels us all forward."
I hope some of my gifts have impacted finders even a fraction of the amount the family written about in The 13th Gift were impacted by their gift givers. I feel inspired to continue on this path to bring happiness to others.
