The Gift -- A Parable delivered in small packages
copyright 2002 by Bryan McAnally
When BDS dropped the box off at our home, it was a typical Saturday morning at the Kind household. My wife Kate answered the door with our youngest child perched on her hip, our middle child wrapped around her leg, and our oldest yelling for some TPA (Toilet Paper Assistance) from the bathroom. I was in the living room watching College Game Day on ESPN. She signed for the box with her left hand and had the deliverer put in on the kitchen counter. Much to the baby's dismay, she set him down and brought the box into the living room.
"Did you order something from Cabela's again?"
"Shhh. They're talkin about the Buff game."
"Don't shush me. Did you order something from Cabela's?"
I turned my attention from the television to see her holding the box with the 'you-don't-have-money-to-take-me-out-but-you-have-money-to-buy-new-hip-waders' look on her face.
"No, I didn't order anything from Cabela's. I haven't ordered anything from anywhere. Are you sure you haven't ordered one of your 'Expressions in jade' things from QVC again?"
She actually pondered the possiblity, but replied, "No. I've received everything I've ordered. Just a minute." She set the box on the coffee table next to my bowl of nacho chips and went and helped our oldest complete 'mission impossible' in the bathroom.
Looking at the box, something clicked. I remembered that at work the other day, while we were on break, my buddy Mitch had told me how his wife had come home with a box the night before, and was really excited to show him what was inside. He told her to come back after Monday night football was over. So Mitch's wife had shown the box to their kids instead.
Kate came out of the bathroom, detoured to pick up the baby who was still loudly telling the world how unhappy he was about being left alone, and came back in to the living room.
"Did you open it?" she asked.
"No, I just remembered about Nick. His wife brought home one of these. He said now his whole family is acting weird."
It was as if a light turned on behind Kate's eyes. "That's right! Janey told me about this. Except she called it 'a gift.' She said that she received an unexpected gift and she shared it with her kids. She said that it has changed her life. And the kids, too. She said that their attitude has improved, they mind better, and she's a whole new person, too. She just wishes Mitch would be willing to receive the gift, too."
"Wow. that's pretty impressive," I finally said, although the look on my face said otherwise. I was ready for this conversation to be over. Kickoff was five minutes away.
"Well," Kate prompted. "Do you want to know what's inside?"
"I'll tell you what," I said. "It sounds great. I think its wonderful if you think this gift will help your life be better. And I'll be the first to agree that the kids need this. So why don't you open this up with them, and I'll take a look at it later."
The look of disappointment on her face was obvious. We both knew that I, like Mitch, had no intentions of joining them.
Kate picked up the box and called the kids into another room.
I barely heard their sounds of pleasant surprise through the roar of the crowd on TV.