Anjali - A Friendship-Day Gift That Completely Killed Me

There was much talk of the Friendship day for the last few days. Anjali made a list of people she wanted to tie friendship bands to. Two packs of friendship bands were bought with favorite colors and stuff, names of people to give etc. Deeds done, calls made, bands tied and everyone was happy. I was pretty amused and touched by the fact that Anjali made the effort all by herself to buy the bands for her cousins and for her friends, called  and called on them, repeatedly, until she got them and gave them her friendship bands. A happier soul I did not see for a long time as she ran about with her bands.

I was glad to receive one such band from her and I gave her a big thank you and a hug. She seemed quite happy that she had tied the band. Then she said she'd go to her friend Harsh's house to tie him a band and I dropped her and came home and that's when I saw this on my table.

It hit me like a ton of bricks and bought a happy tear. Not only did she think of the bands but here comes a gift as well. And a thoughtful gift too for a writer. Why, I thought, had I not thought of giving anything to her when she gave me the band? Why didn't I even give her a band? The little chit of paper, the glittering pen brought a tear to my eye. When will I learn to give wholeheartedly, to receive with gratitude and appreciation? When will I really think of the other person? Of doing something before checking with them? When will I risk anything?

When I went to Harsh's house later, I found that the young lad had gifted Anjali a pencil and something else. Kids don't seem to have this problem at all. They are free with their giving. Unconditional.

Late at night before she went to sleep I told Anjali how much I loved her gift.
'Where did you get it? I asked her.
'I have two such pens,' she said. 'I thought I'll give you one.'
She thought for a moment and added.
'I thought you may think it's an ordinary pen and keep it with all other pens so I wrote the note and kept it on your table.'

She was happy to know that I really liked her gift.
'There is some glitter in that pen,' she explained shyly. 'So it will look very nice when you write with it. It will be very different form other pens.'
So it is young one. So it is. To give with the true spirit of giving is something I will learn from you.