A Condolence Gift Basket Made Me Smile Again

by Liz
(Jacksonville, FL)

There I was, back in Baltimore on my friend Sara’s couch watching bad movies and eating Chinese food. It was the first time that I had been back to visit in months, and all I was looking forward to was spending time with some friends, and forgetting about all the work I had to do back in Florida. That was when I got the call.

It was from my mother, again, and I didn’t think much of it – Mom calls all the time and it wasn’t the first or the fifth time I had heard from her that day. About a half an hour later when I checked my messages I heard my mother’s voice in the other end but she sounded like she was very upset and she wanted me to call right away.

I called Mom back and that is when I heard the news. Our dear family friend had committed suicide and had just been found that afternoon. I wanted to come back to Florida right away, but mom had me convinced that there was nothing I could do at that point, and just to come back on Monday like we had planned.

Sunday night was the next time we talked about John, and when I found out that John’s memorial was going to be held in the morning. The family wanted closure and wanted things over with.

While I sympathized with them I was also devastated that I was not going to be back in time to say goodbye to my friend. I spent much of the fourteen hour drive the next day in tears- I didn’t know what I was going to do without my friend, and each mile I got closer I felt that weight heavier and heavier upon my shoulders. I got home, went to bed and stayed there for days.

On the fourth day I heard a knock on my door early in the morning. I didn’t want to answer so I watched until the car I didn’t recognize drove away.

When I opened the door I saw a gift basket on the front porch. It was filled with a wine book, corkscrew, a few bottles of wine and a scrapbook. The scrapbook was full of pictures of John and my family through the years.

That basket got me out of bed and helped me deal with my grief in a healthier way. I was able to get up, face the day, and then spend time with John’s family- the way I should have been all the time.

That basket on my door reminded me that life was worth living- thank you to the anonymous person who sent it.