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Wednesday, April 27, 2005

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I got a package from home today.

My buzzer went at 7:15 this morning and in my sleep-addled state, I went on auto pilot and answered the door. Good thing, seeing the mailman had a package from home for me.

Did I mention I got a package from home?

Any package is a good package but this package was amazing. I tried to hold off opening it until I got home from work, but my curiosity was killing me, so I opened it (and made myself late for work in the process).

It was from my best friend and it had the best things in it. No kidding. It had funny birthday cards (two - due to a mail mix up - last year's present got returned to her so she re-sent it with this years'), hand painted pictures from her girls (which will go up on the walls...), a toe ring (I love 'em!), a Canada sweatshirt from Roots that a zip-up front (which I happen to be wearing right now - and I love because I own almost nothing with 'Canada' on it), a framed photo of me and the girls, a bunch of pictures - which to me are priceless and probably the best gift for me, and one thing wrapped in an envelope - which turned out to be the best of all.

Written on the envelope was an explanation. Apparently on the drive from Toronto to the cottage last summer, I pointed out my favourite spot on the way up. Unbeknownst to me, on the way back home my best friend and her family stopped and took a picture of my favourite view on earth. As a birthday present, she developed, framed it and surprised me with it. I can't begin to tell you how much that means.

Now, although I can be sentimental, it takes a lot of work to get me to well up over anything. In fact, when I first left Canada, one of my very good friends put a scrapbook together for me of our 20 year friendship and included comments and observations about how wonderful it was to be friends. Beautiful really. Her husband couldn't believe that it didn't reduce me to tears. It's not that I didn't feel the same way - and in fact, I found what she had done extremely touching - it's just that I don't usually express myself with tears.

Until today that is.

I actually misted over. And in fact, misted over numerous times throughout the day when I thought of the picture and the incredible amount of thought and caring that went into sending it to me.

A simple thing, but a wonderful thing. My best friend is just that: the best.

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