For those of you who have been checking in here over the years (it'll be FIVE next month, yikes) you are well aware that I have had trouble with the whole gift-giving thing-y in the past.

Do note, IN. THE. PAST.

That's right, kids. I have done considerable, conscious work to understand that to give is to receive and to receive is to give.

In fact, the gifts of both giving and receiving are interconnected acts vital to our essential truth. This I know for sure (and thus, am ready for my meet-up with Oprah since that's one of her core questions).

So it was with extraordinary pleasure that I opened a box this afternoon from TRACEY, a dear, dear AMAZING spirit who I have connected with through this blog. (She has no website and to link to her email here means her address could be harvested by spammers so you will all have to tell her how fabulous she is in the comments, I'm afraid).

If you were at Squam last September, you will remember Tracey as the shining, blonde-haired goddess from Tennessee with the loveliest blue eyes the color of cornflowers on a sunny day.

And, if you've never met her, let me assure you, she makes the world a better place.

In the box was a painting. A painting that celebrates me. A painting that is made by someone who really gets me, who really knows me and dare I say, who really loves me.

First, surely the color choices could not have escaped your notice.
Blue. Orange. And (my absolute favorite), Pale Pink.

Then, if you can't read what's written, allow me to share with you here-- on the left:

T's hottie
Daisy, Ollie & Henry's mama
Adored daughter, sis, aunt & cousin
Beloved friend
Inspiring teacher
Writer + artist extraordinaire
Jon Stewart's fan*
Nature appreciator + photographer
Oprah's future guest
And loads more

*sigh*

*shivers of happiness*

On the right:

Sun goddess
Queen of S.A.W.
Hostess supreme
Priestess of Wit
Homestead Beauty
Enlightenment Seeker
Joy - bringer
Brilliant + sassy aquarian
Visionary
Obama supporter

Wow. Guess I'll never have to worry about writing a resume again because, c'mon-- I can just cut and paste all the above, non?

Across the top it reads my own personal motto, "MAKE ART NOT WAR, people!"

Across the bottom it has the letters "B" and "P" with PARIS in-between, ahhhhhh.

On the sides?

LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
*huge exhale*

Can you imagine if I had received this BEFORE I had done so much work to be able to receive so much love?!! Let's just not think about that. Instead, let us savor the frisson of pleasure vibrating all through this house, across the mountain, down the slopes, across the lakes, up into the clear blue sky and down into your computer screen.

Ah, there it is-- beauty is all around us.

Thank you, Tracey. This is a moment of genuine happiness and delight that will be with me always. Your kindness and thoughtfulness are extraordinary and, heads up, you better arrive at Squam next September wrapped in a protective plastic bubble because I am SO tackling you with an inappropriate hug of epic proportion.

P.S. *way to cleverly disguise that I'm much more than Jon Stewart's fan-- the actual title would be "secret girlfriend" but we can't let Ira know about that, can we now?

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