A True Love Story

When Lovely Daughter #2 was an infant she began to suck her fingers--her first two fingers on her right hand with her palm turned outward--yes it sounds awkward, but she began to do it that way sleeping on her tummy, and she could also hold on to and caress the crib sheet at the same time. Eventually she became attached to this , holding it in her hand while she sucked her fingers and carrying it wherever she went. It really was an ideal security object because it was replaceable. My mother worked at BigBoxToyStore at the time and kept us well supplied with them. They came in different colors, and LD came to refer to them by color--her "blue'' or "pink" or "yellow". "Blue" was her favorite, but she was happy with any of them--so if one was dirty or lost we could pull out another. We never left home without a "blue" or "pink"or "yellow."

Meanwhile my friend J became LD#2's godmother and showered lots of love not only on LD#2 but also on Elder Son and LD#1. And she remained my closest friend. For many reasons, the years after LD#2's birth were stressful, and having a friend like J was wonderful for all of us. When LD#2 was three, J and her husband W finally became parents to a beautiful baby girl. Her arrival was much anticipated and much celebrated and we were all so happy and excited. Finally the summer morning arrived when I was going to take Elder Son and the LDs to meet baby j. When I called to them that it was time to go, they came into the living room each carrying a beloved toy: Elder Son had his stuffed panda, LD#1 a Strawberry Shortcake ragdoll, and LD#2 a "pink". These were, they announced to me, gifts for baby j.

My first impulse was horror at the idea of giving a new baby used and possilbly germy toys. Weren't baby gifts supposed to bright and shiny and new? But fortunately it took me a moment to think about how to tell my children that perhaps we should go buy a gift for baby j and in that moment I realized what precious gifts my children were offering. They wanted baby j to have something special, something already well-loved. These were true gifts from the heart. And they were received that way as well.

J, W and baby j moved away to Big City just a year later. Many tears were shed over their leaving, but our friendship was too strong to be easily broken. J and I didn't see each other very often but whenever we did we picked up as if we'd just been together the day before. LD#2 flew all by herself to visit Big City, and J and baby j, now little j visited us in Florida. Years passed. J, W and j moved back down south and we moved north. J flew to Vermont for LD's high school graduation. LD#2 and j ended up at the same college during LD's last year there.

This past summer LD#2 was married at a lovely outdoor wedding, and J and W came to Vermont to share in the festivities. It was a wonderful reunion--the first time J and W and I and all my children had all been together in years. At the reception when it was time to offer toasts, J went to the microphone carrying a bag with her. And she told the story of how LD#2 used to suck her fingers and how attached she was to her "blue" and "pink", and of the gifts my children brought to baby j that summer long ago. And then she opened the bag and pulled out this: