I was about 5 years old and living with my grandmother since forever who generally had no time for me. Yes, she saw to it that I had a roof and a meal although she never showed me how to tie my shoes, read a story to me (probably because I didn’t own a book), give me a hug or tuck me in at night. I spent most of my days just trying to stay out of her way. I became somewhat of a feral child and never wanted for anything such as toys or pretty clothes. I lived in jeans, T-shirts and tennis shoes without laces. I had one plaid dress with a ruffled collar for "just in case" my grandmother would say.
So, when Christmas rolled around that year and she asked me what I wished for (which was a first – her asking me), I shrugged my shoulders and gave no reply.
Several days passed when I noticed a package under our tiny tree that she’d put up and loaded with handfuls of tinsel looking more like silver starbursts mangled around one string of big, bright multi-colored lights. The package was wrapped in tissue paper and held my interest until the next day. I couldn’t stand not knowing what was inside that paper. I poked at it not even knowing who the gift was for. As I continued to pinch and prod, the paper began to tear and before I knew it, the evidence of wrinkled paper was a dead giveaway that someone had tried quite unsuccessfully NOT to open that gift, which was a baby doll.
As carefully as I could to cover my tracks, I gingerly rewrapped the doll and held my breath for what seemed like hours until my grandmother discovered the dastardly deed I had committed and she did. She sternly called out to me, the obvious culprit, so no point in denying it. Tearfully, I confessed that I didn’t mean to unwrap it so much, just a little, and then I’d done a bad job of it.
She very kindly said that she would rewrap the baby so I could open it again on Christmas day without any worries. That was it. No scolding. No swat. No punishment. Years later, I decided that the best gift I received that year became one of my first life lessons – compassion and understanding.
