I sent my son, Jake, a Christmas card with a gift card inside. He is turning 18 in 3 months and he doesn’t talk to me much. Actually he doesn’t talk to me at all. I catch glimpses of him on facebook when he posts something now and then, but we don’t interact. Of course, I didn’t talk to my Mom much when I was his age. In fact, I think there was quite a long time that I didn’t talk to her at all. When you are on the brink of adulthood, you kind of just want to do your own thing.
I sent him a Christmas card with a gift card inside and I worried, of course, that the gift card meant that I had no idea what he wanted for Christmas. But that worry only lasted a moment. I think he is the better judge of what he wants at this point in his life. A gift card is perfect.
I went to the post office on Friday and stood in the very long line. I also sent cookies that Lucas made for everyone in really cool cookie containers. I sent the Christmas card to Jake wondering what he will get with his gift card.
Tonight he messaged me for the first time in a few months and he thanked me for the card and money and we joked for a moment about what he might buy with it. I read the text message over and over and realized that it is those little things that are important now.