Our Most Treasured Possessions

by Michele Boy | February 20, 2025

Does anyone remember the short story The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry? It is one of my favorites. If I recall correctly, the couple sells their most treasured possessions to secretly buy each other Christmas gifts.  Again it has been many years since I read the story, but I believe he bought her a beautiful comb after she sold locks of her hair. 
  My husband and I aren’t big on holiday gifts for each other. Anniversary, birthday, or Valentine’s Day, we smile, tell each other, Happy whatever day... and are just happy that we are together. 
 But every once in a while life offers surprises. On the beautiful, sunny, removed-my-hoodie-Friday, my daughter and I drove a couple hours to buy feed for her sheep. On the way we had a great idea to replace my husband’s insulated grill gloves that the dogs chewed up and destroyed on Super Bowl Sunday. 
  We were pretty excited because we know there are some things that mean a lot to him. I had an idea they would have them at the store we were headed to. They did!
They were perfect! 
  What we didn’t know was he had purchased flowers for us. That is not his thing. It isn’t mine either. I think the last time was over five years ago. 
  For some reason, he decided to buy them. I am not a delicate flower lol and pink and red roses are not my thing. He picked out black roses with a white flower to complement. It was perfect.  He chose flowers for our daughter that matched her personality as well. 
  The smiles we all had were genuine. It was a true surprise. While we are generally more practical, once in a while it is fun to change things up. 
  Speaking of changing things up, this weather?! I enjoy cold but -23 with wind chills is a little ridiculous. But again it reminds me of the joys of a nice 45 degree day. 
   The rollercoaster of weather has kept us all on our toes. These extreme temperatures made basic tasks more difficult. Feeding livestock on Tuesday with insulated gloves and insulated boots, our hands and toes still felt frozen. 
  I am looking forward to the weekend where temperatures are set for the 60s. It will feel like summer. I plan on taking advantage of every drop of sunlight and warmth!
   How are you doing today? Weather is inconvenient if you have a good working vehicle, warm clothes, food to eat, and warm shelter. It is life threatening if you don’t have these things. 
 To me, the extreme weather is a reminder of a couple of things. One is western Kansas has some harsh weather, it is important to be prepared. If you don’t have the means, it is good to be vulnerable and ask if you can stay with someone, or get a ride to safety. It also reminds me how blessed something like the sun warming my face can be, and how a little wind can change the temperature dramatically. 
  In the summer my gratitude is different. I like a few clouds to shield the harsh sun. I love the wind that keeps the black flies away from us and the livestock.
  Seasons change and so do my prayers. In western Kansas, those can be daily changes. LOL. 
  On March 9, Daylight Savings Time will have us moving our clocks forward an hour offering us more daylight. Spring Break is right around the corner, and this harsher season is close to ending. 
   New delights and new challenges await us. 
   While my heating bill may sting, I am grateful I don’t live in Antartica where the average annual temperature is -57 degrees. See, always something to be grateful for!