Month of Gifts!

Yesterday I was completely surprised by the sunset and it changed my plans for what I thought I was going to post last night, so I wrote on yesterday's page that . . .

I was confident I had already captured my photo of the day. It was securely in my camera and I was excited because the photo tells the story of something truly lovely that happened when I went to my campus mailbox this afternoon. At my mailbox I was surprised and delighted. I thought it was perfect for the last day of November, but now I think it is even more perfect for the first day of December, so tomorrow I will capture it with my camera again and share it here at day's end. Until then, I just want to express that what I found in my mailbox today was very special.

I mentioned several weeks ago that I had gone to the art gallery showing of paintings and jewelry of my colleague and friend Karin, who is the art professor at the college where I teach. At that showing I purchased some beautiful earrings and displayed them here in my Blipfoto page--lots of you left wonderful comments about the earrings. On that page I told the story of Baltic Amber and why those earrings had caught my attention and why I had purchased them that evening.

So yesterday when I saw the jewelry-sized gift box in my campus mail-slot, I just assumed that it was something a student had left for me. I hoped it wasn't a bomb (I'm kidding).

The box was taped to the card, so I managed to get the envelope opened first to be delighted by reading Karin's words . . . they are so meaningful. My eyes were filling with tears before I even opened the little box. Those words told me that she listened intently to my story that evening in the gallery. Her words also tell me that our friendship is as special as my heart has always told me that it is.

Karin and I have a 20 year history of teaching at the same campus. We were there when the campus was in its infancy. We were two of approximately twelve full-time faculty. Back then she and I both had long brunette hair and often we'd get called by each others' name. When that would happen, it was always a compliment and we'd get a good laugh from it because it was just fun.

She and I have had some meaningful and deep conversations "on the go" as we've passed each other while crisscrossing the campus. I don't have a lot of "buddies" that I hangout with (well, except Mr. Fun), but I do have a handful of very special friends . . . people that I would go to if I thought the world was against me or if I needed a place to cry . . . safe people, comfortable people. Karin is one of those special friends.

I am deeply touched by her beautiful and generous gift and her gracious words. Saying "Thank You" to Karin doesn't begin to convey my feelings.

Karin's gift is a great way to begin my December journal.

It's only 3:50 in the afternoon, but now I've blipped. My apologizes for writing very few comments recently. I have many, many student essays to read and mark. The end of the semester is just down the street and will be knocking on my door very soon. All papers must be graded before then. Ugh!

I hope you've had a terrific first day of the "Month of Gifts!"
From Southern California, where it is quite cold today.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol