And While We’re At It
I think the reason birthday gifts, thoughtful and heartfelt, mean a lot to me…and why the lack thereof hurts greatly and will hurt for an entire goddamn year…is because my parents are also kind of crappy about that.
Mom recycles the first thing she sees in her house, wraps it up last minute and hands it over.
So, birthday gifts aren’t about the object to me.
Dad doesn’t tell you Happy Birthday until wayyy past your birthday and then several months later shoves some money at you.
So, birthday gifts aren’t about the money to me.
I’m sensitive about gifts, I think because of them. I think a personal effort from one person to another is meaningful, is lovely, and says you care. Not a penny has to be spent, but some thought does. It kills me when that doesn’t happen (see last post: rejected, unwanted; further, not important enough to bother with the effort).
And I’m realizing that I’m just not letting it go from this birthday in February.
Why yes, I probably do need to continue therapy. No, it’s not covered in my insurance anymore.
March 24th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I love a thoughtful gift too. You are the best at it! I am terrible about what to give and I think about what they may need, and i think about it too much and freak myself out. I guess I only know how to give practical gifts. I hope that’s ok. I always wonder if it is. Belated gifts like money shoved in your face does suck a big one though.
March 24th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Holy shit, yes, that’s okay. You are thinking about it, that’s all I ever care about. That someone other than you is thinking of you.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:31 am
People should totally make a habit of spoiling you.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Sara, you are a doll!