The Best Gift I Ever Received

When my parents retired back to Florida in 1980, they essentially retired into near poverty. At the time, I was oblivious to that fact. My parents were too proud to ever ask me for anything, and even though I was in my early 30’s, I was too ignorant/self-centered/worried about my own lot in life to see the predicament they were in. It finally hit me after receiving a Christmas gift from them one year. Their gift was a pair of poorly-carved soapstone manatees which couldn’t have cost more than $10. I was puzzled and even a bit disappointed at first, then realized, as the tears welled up in my eyes, that this was the best gift I could ever receive . . . their love. I still have those soapstone manatees, and recently told my sons this story. One of my boys proudly display these "priceless" manatees in his room.