Shortribs and Such - Days 2 and 3

The past two days I find myself making choices that are not altogether unusual for me to make...which makes me think that taking part in a 29-Day Giving Challenge helps you become more mindful of consequences, whether they are good or bad. They also help you put into focus the relationships involved in the exchange of said gifts.

Yesterday I spent all day on a plane. Thinking ugly thoughts about the people I was sitting next to. Yeah, you've done it. Tried so many ways to think of gifts that I could give to my airport buddies....and then....and then I fell asleep. And when I woke up, the gentleman next to me had put my tray down with a ginger ale I had ordered. And I thought, "Well you're nice. I take back the ugly thing I thought." I was going to say thank you, but by then he was asleep and quite frankly, I'm painfully shy in cramped public situations.

So when I got home I bought dinner for my boyfriend, who had picked me up from the airport. Which is a gift I often avoid because honestly, I make half of what he does. But he always does nice things for me and never asks for anything in return. He had 29 Gifts programmed into his genes from conception.

Today my gift involved driving my best friend to the grocery store, which I'm not sure counts as a gift, because I do it for selfish reasons. 1) It gives me more time to spend with her and 2) Well, I was going to the grocery store anyway. I didn't really go out of my way. But she doesn't have a car, and I'm hoping it made her day easier. And I'll do anything to make her day easier because she is my "Bestie".

Tonight I made dinner for my boyfriend, which I haven't done for about a month because we've both been uber-busy with work. I actually went out of my way to make something new (Korean shortribs), which he noticed (I rotate between broiled fish and ground beef so anything new I'm sure is welcome). Oh, and he showed up with ice cream and we had a very nice night together, which we needed. It's the little things that help us relax and laugh. Guess I kinda had a two-gift day.