It happened a little more than a year ago. It was mom’s 28th birthday and dad got her a very special gift. But there is this thing about gifts – sometimes their real meaning is lost upon the receiver. Usually that’s not the case with my (overly sentimental and sometimes emotionally hypersensitive) forever mom. I love her, but there’s this thing about being a female I simply don’t think I’ll ever fully understand.
It certainly came to light for me that day all those moons ago when mom unwrapped what may have been one of the very most thoughtful gifts she has ever received from my dear forever dad. (Mind you, that is saying a lot since they’ve known each other almost 11 years now.) He brought it to her with his homemade breakfast in bed and she gasped at the sight of it all. At five months pregnant, I wasn’t surprised at her enthusiasm at the sight of freshly made food one tiny bit.
Then it happened. The great moment when she unopened what might just be one of the most thoughtful gifts dad has ever gotten her. And bam. She missed it. While she had a happy look on her face, it was not quite as happy as when he had entered the bedroom with homemade eggs, pancakes and bacon. “It’s a heart within a heart,” I remember dad saying, with a wilted amount of defeat in his voice. Clearly it meant something to him, and he was surprised mom didn’t instantly notice the thoughtfulness behind the piece.
While that may have been the case then, it is certainly untrue now. Since that day she has almost never taken off the heart within a heart. Sometimes when no one is looking, she cries tears of joy for what that tiny little heart means to her. She wore it throughout the duration of her pregnancy. She wore it while she was in labor. She wore it when dear baby Carter was born. In that moment, he was no longer a heart within a heart. But I’m convinced none of that really matters because the necklace has super powers. So far, it has helped her not just survive pregnancy and labor an delivery, but it has helped her come out of it all a proud, glowing mother of a contagiously happy baby.
To think it happened a while ago already when mom got this special little gift. She’s even already updated it slightly with some tokens that say “blessed” and “mom” on them. But there is something about this thing called gifts. Sometimes their value grows with time. And at least from what I can tell, dear baby Carter will not only grow with time, but he will always make up a (big, important and incredibly prominent) piece of her heart. In reality, he always will be a heart within a heart for her. And that necklace, which serves as a reminder of that, will become nothing less than a timeless treasure.
p for in the morning. Not that I would do it every day because I do particularly enjoy my sleep (no matter the time of day). But today was one of those special days you always carry with you on the normal days.
Wiley's Wisdom 
A New Leaf August 28, 2014
Tags: all things fall, autumn, autumn leaves, bonfires, commentary about the weather, daily post, daily prompt, Dog, dog blog, dogs, fall, family, four seasons, love, postaday, pumpkin spice latte, seasons, terrier, Wisconsin, Wisconsin weather
There are a lot of people in my life who wouldn’t dare say or admit what I’m about to say. I even overheard part of an albeit disturbing conversation about it today. After the winter we had earlier this year, I can’t say I blame them. That doesn’t change the fact that they are indeed in denial. Yes, winter around here was much too long, spring barely made an appearance and summer was far too short. But tonight, as I soaked in the cool breeze coming in through the windows of my beloved forever home, it was confirmed. Fall is coming.
I could smell burning wood and hear the sounds of the night through the darkness, which is starting to fall much earlier these days. As I watched fireflies dance from one of my favorite spots in the grass of my backyard paradise, I could feel a chill rising up from the ground.
Soon there will be nothing left of summer and the long, warm nights outside will be replaced with bonfires and s’mores. Soon mom will inevitably go through her annual pie-baking phase, where she churns out more cherry and apple pies than any person could (or should) really ever eat. Soon the leaves will turn colors before eventually shedding from the trees.
Soon the leaves will turn colors before eventually shedding from the trees. For some reason, the essence of fall somehow came alive in the essence of those words in my mind. As I watched the branches of the trees sway in the breeze tonight, I was struck with the powerful message that accompanies the fall season. Just as spring is a time of rebirth and renewal, fall is a reminder that life goes on. Sometimes we need a reminder to move past something that has been holding us back. Sometimes we need to turn the page. Sometimes we need to think about finding a way to turn over a new leaf. For me, that is the essence of fall in a nutshell.
It might not be the most popular truth around the state right now, but that doesn’t change the truth. Fall is coming. Fast. And while yes, it brings cooler air and shorter days, it also brings encouragement. It also brings hope. From those bonfires to extra cuddle time to those leaves that need turning, I would agree with Irish songstress Enya that we have a lot to look forward to.
“The spring, summer, is quite a hectic time for people in their lives,” she said, “but then it comes to autumn, and to winter, and you can’t but help think back to the year that was, and then hopefully look forward to the year that is approaching.”