As I grow older I realize that one of the best gifts someone can give me is the gift of words.
Not just any words.
Life-giving. Well-chosen. Not too showy, either.
Kind and truthful.
Bonus points if they're funny.
Words.
I am extremely sentimental. When my husband goes out the door to give the car an oil change I make sure I say something nice before he leaves. I try not to say, "Oh and pick up some apples before you return, would you?" I always want the last words I leave my family to be something kind, something which will make them want to return home again. Instead I'll say, "Hey babe, can you pick up some apples on your way home? Thanks for all you do."
I've watched too many movies, read too many stories about "last words" that people have said to each other and I never know when my last words will be, so I want them to count. I have this latent fear that my last words to someone will be something ridiculous like "dill pickles" or "mow the lawn."
The same goes for greetings. Say hello. Smile. Show some joy towards the other person.
Now throughout the day-- the time BETWEEN my "first" and "last" words-- I reserve the right to be silly: I will exchange playful barbs with my husband, rant cynical about something I saw in a store and make monkey sounds while chasing my daughters. I also have a sarcastic tongue which I'm learning to tame for the sake of my daughters.
But first words and last words are kind of special to me. Hallowed. Holy. Special.
This morning was the first day of the first month of the new year and, believe me, I wanted to make sure that the words I chose were special.
My husband was making coffee downstairs. "Happy New Year," I offered. He returned the greeting.
I heard my daughter Morgan getting out of bed upstairs. Wanting to wish her the same I climbed the stairs just in time to see her coming out of her room.
"Gah. You SCARED me, Mom."
A look of annoyance filled her face. She huffed and ran into the bathroom.
What? No. We can't start the new year with huffing.
Fail.
Do over.
Boo.
Terrible.
If FIRST WORDS are that important, then FIRST WORDS on the FIRST MONTH of a BRAND NEW YEAR are exponentially so.
In fact, I sometimes fantasize that if you take the first and last word you say each year and string them together over a period of many decades, you could make an amazing poem. It would have a Dada-ist flair, but still... Wouldn't that be fantastic?
Mine would sound like this:
Year 1997: Huh? Night.
Year 1998: Labrador. Picnic.
Year 1999: Shhh. Kind.
Year 2000: Dan? Turquoise.
Shall I go on?
Point is: Make your words count.
They're free. They're fantastic.
They make the best gifts.
And on that note: Happy New Year. :)
