a few minutes to go

I have a few minutes before I have to leave for a pampered chef partay, so I thought, what the heck.  The the coolest thing has been happening the last few days.  A few days ago, one of my nephews began sending me "presents."  Let me back up...Back in Dec of 2001 I moved to McSomewhere, Tn.  At that time my sister had just had her 2nd child, His birthday being dec 15th.  I was at her house one day (This was before I moved from my mom's house into their guest bedroom for 4 years...big thanks) and for some reason I wanted to hold the baby (very rare occasion for me).  We, the baby and myself, ended up on the couch napping.  From that moment on a bond was formed.  We have always been close, I don't know, we just "get" each other.  He is very artistic, silly, a great dancer (you can literally see the beat get inside of his body), and generous.  So to move along, the present giving started a long time ago when he started putting toys in my room for me to keep for ever, and not just any toys, they were mostly his prized possessions.  I had so many that I placed a box in my room so that none of them would get lost.  When I went away to college I left the box in my room, thinking I don't want to take the kids favorite toys he may want to play with them, but all of the sudden he came out to the car box in hand informing me that I had forgotten something.  (Pause: wiping tear) So a few days ago I opened the mail to find a letter from him.  In it was enclosed a picture that he had drawn with an inscription stating "I hope you like your present" in his own 6 year old hand writing.  As he is growing up and moving away from toys and finding more joy in his art, he is still giving me his most prized possessions.  And these are the best presents I could ever ask for.  For a child who has nothing the world would consider valuable to give me what he prizes most really touches my heart.  And for him to continue to do so as he grows up in an ever changing society is a jewel that I will treasure always.