The Best Valentine's Day Gift

It's that time of year again, when women get hopeful and men, well, anxious and perhaps a little annoyed at having to think of yet another gift so soon after Christmas. But, take heart, here's a little story I hope would change the way you think about gift giving.

A few days ago a friend inquired casually what I got for Valentine's Day last year. I drew a blank. "What about a year ago?" she persisted. Blank again. Oh I'm sure there were flowers, though I couldn't remember the scent, and may be a card, though I couldn't remember the words. "OK, what about the best Valentine's Day gift you ever got?", she asked. Well that's easy, there was one I'll never forget. It wasn't an expensive gift, not something I could show to other people, but boy was it memorable.

Many years ago a thoughtful friend, knowing I was a lover of big cats, organized something special at our local zoo. For a small donation to one of the zoo programs he got me entry into a cat enclosure and (under supervision) for one brief moment I got to hug a cheetah! Now, most sane people would be happy to avoid such encounters. But for me, to be able to hug something so powerful, and to feel its purr resonate through me, it was pure joy.

Ever since that day, I've been making an effort to gift my near-and-dear-ones positive experiences. After all, it is your memories that make your life rich; make you smile in times of sadness. They are the only "things" that are truly yours forever, and are the only things you can take with you to the after-life. The flowers and rings and things will remain earthbound.

So, before setting out to buy chocolates or picking up the phone to order flowers, pause and consider - what would truly give joy to that person. It is the effort you put in that will be remembered in the years to come, not what you've spent. And every girl wants to feel that she is worth the effort.