RobArt Penguin

Daily writing prompt

Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?

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When I was a kid, I could never sleep before Christmas Day. The excitement of it was too much, thinking about all the mysterious presents adorned in pretty paper. My Mom would heighten the anticipation with a parade of packages that came in the mail, that she would secret in her bedroom until she wrapped them. My sisters were excited too, but they always managed to fall asleep. They would be annoyed when I woke them up at 4 am to start the day: “too early.” They usually had enough excitement to get up by 6 am. I wouldn’t start alone so I had to wait. My heart would pound and beat fast all night. It’s a wonder my body held up, but I was young. As a young adult, I eventually got over it, but I reflected on why I got so hyper-excited. Years of wisdom (and therapy) have shown me that it was the one day in the year that I felt loved, that I mattered. The day became so important that I couldn’t wait for it to arrive. I hope it’s a good sign that I don’t still need getting presents to feel loved, that I’ve healed in some way. Now, I get more pleasure giving gifts than receiving them, especially ones that I make. My daughter has followed my creative path and also likes to make gifts. I remember one year she made me stay in my bedroom while she worked on a present, which I discovered was a big jar she painted that said “Dad’s Pasta Sauce.” It still brings me joy to think of how hard she worked on it. That gift definitely made me feel special. This year I baked a vegan coffee cake on Christmas Day, just for her.