What's It Worth To You?

I'd like to point out that I passed the 200th blog post a few days ago. I didn't say anything about it at the time for many reasons including the fact that the "blog police" might make me do something special like a "200 Things About Me" post. Ain't happenin'! Go read the 100th post twice if you wish. Actually, I did so myself because there were a few pertinent things in it to which I would like to draw your attention.

Numbers 16, 18, 27, and 50 are no longer true. I'm rarely alone these days and therefore I rarely get a lot done. I'm not preparing for any speaking engagements at the moment and I also am no longer the registrar of my local DAR chapter. Certain things were accomplished, certain jobs were completed, and a certain little boy was born who visits his Gram regularly and expects certain undivided attention. No complaints. Just updating the list.

I would like to draw your attention to #96. (Wow! Do I ever feel like a teacher again telling pupils to turn to page such-and-such!) In light of recent remarks about some birthday gifts I've received over the years I felt it necessary to remind my readers of this little caveat. Marilyn Monroe called diamonds "a girl's best friend" and I merely quoted her last week. I haven't been showered with sparklers through the years. Not very many birthdays are that special and my parents do not own Microsoft.

But twice my parents have seen fit to buy me a lovely piece of jewelry for my birthday. The first time was for my 18th and there was a surprise party involved. (I know! As if having Pastor Dad ask me out on a date for the first time wasn't surprising enough!) The gift from Mom and Dad was a birthstone ring with two small diamonds. My first diamonds. They beat Pastor Dad to the draw by about 10 weeks! Yes, he really did propose to me that quickly after we started dating.

The gift for my 50th birthday was a beautiful solitaire necklace and another small party. Should I be looking for Pastor Dad to produce another gem in about 10 weeks? Hmm. I kid! I kid!

It was mentioned that many of the birthdays between the 18th and 50th have not been so good. Several have been marked by grief as friends and relatives have either passed into eternity on this date or we've had their visitation or funeral services on it. They got to celebrate in heaven. We were left to mourn.

If you'll actually read #96 you'll find that the reason these gifts are so valuable isn't their financial worth. As special as the gifts are, it's the people who gave them to me that make them special to me. Marilyn Monroe had it wrong. It isn't "diamonds are a girl's best friends" it is "the people who give you diamonds are a girl's best friends." By my value standard, some of the baubles that my young children produced or my grandparents gave me when I was a child are just as valuable. If I'm ever robbed it won't be the loss of the monetary value of the items that upsets me. I've got a lifetime worth of memories in a jewelry box that contains very few actual jewels! But the memories those items represent are forever cherished as I wear them.

I'm also quickly coming up on my first blog anniversary. I can't believe I've been doing this for a year! I've had so much fun writing, meeting new people, and making new friends. Recently, I've had fun looking back over the past year by re-reading some old posts. Ah! The memories!

In conclusion, just let me say that I've already taken care of #99 on the list. City Gospel Mission received another donation in honor of my 200th post. And if I ever get more time in my schedule - which is probably still a few years down the road - I might begin volunteering there personally once more because people are definitely worth more than things.