In the Ensuing Panic

I usually don’t have a “best” or “favorite” gift, but you will soon see why I have one this year. My sister and her family gave me a bag filled with small things that will make my life easier and more fun. Among them was a clear plastic glass printed with a paisley pattern and with a blue lid. This is my best gift this year. Let me tell you why.
My sister took my 11-year-old niece, K, with her shopping. K asked what I did at work. When informed that I evaluate transcripts for a college, K insisted that I needed a cup so that I would have plenty of water to drink. Working at a desk, according to K, is a very thirsty job. She stuck to the cup even though her mother made several other suggestions. The reason this cup is my best gift is that K spent time and thought in choosing it. She is really beginning to grow up. I am proud of her for thinking about my needs and then making a decision based on them. In fact, even if I had not really liked the cup, it would have been my favorite gift because of the effort that went into it. That is what gift-giving is about to me; considering others’ wants and needs and then trying to meet them.
Thank you, K! You did great!!