She's from Texas. (The rest of us can try, but we won't ever be as stylish as a Texan woman.)
I look down at my drab clothing: black, professional, and profoundly boring. Nevertheless, I enjoy myself and take great delight in the company of my new friend. As the evening comes to an end, I'm talking to another group of people, and I feel something cool and heavy close against my shoulders from behind me. Before I can turn around, my Texan friend has clasped her necklace around my neck.
"It's for you! I have so many baubles, and these are perfect for you!"
"Oh, I can't accept these," I say, absolutely astonished that anyone would remove their own necklace and put it around my neck.
"Oh yes, they are just baubles, and they are for you!" (I now know one never argues with a Texan woman with baubles.)
I'm still stunned by the gesture. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Later, I tell my daughters that a lovely woman at a dinner party gave me her necklace and insisted I keep it.
"That's the nicest thing," my oldest says. I can see her mind wondering if she could part with her own jewelry.
I want to be the kind of woman that removes her own necklace because another woman might enjoy it. Might I see my possessions as just baubles to pass around?
_______________________
Journal: Would you ever do something like this at a party? Could you graciously either give or receive such a gesture?
Beautiful. Yes, Texans can be together and generous. I can be generous, but rarely look together.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience once while visiting a new acquaintance. I admired an unusual cut glass bowl in her china cabinet. She gifted me with it when I left. I was astonished and have tried to remember the lesson and give things that I can when I sense real interest. Thanks for reminding me to pay attention.
ReplyDeleteElaine
I absolutely love this story! I want to give like this, and I'm going to start trying to. P.s. Love the "baubles".
ReplyDeleteI love, love, LOVE this story. I want to be just like the friend who gave you that necklace. What a bautiful, joyful heart. Thanks so much for sharing her with us, Heather.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine did something similar. She needed help with some yardwork so she had my husband and I over for dinner. She also needed some help cleaning out the basement. I figured it was something I could do while he was working. When we were down there, I noticed a beautiful chess set she had, wooden, hand-crafted and from Albania. I commented that my parents would have loved to see that, because they collect chess sets from all over the world. Her response? "take it. I never use it." And no matter how much I protested, she gave it to me, and it ended up going home with us at the end of the night. So now I have a beautiful chess set, and a friend. By the way, you'd love her, because (perhaps growing up in a foreign country) she is not afraid to be herself and so has tons of flair!
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