The Gifts We Give

One of my favorite holiday stories is a short story by O. Henry—The Gift of the Magi.  Not wanting to give away the story line . . . it’s about a young married couple who want to give each other the perfect gift.  When I was a child I read this heartwarming story.  I had to hold back the tears at the time so the words on the pages wouldn’t blur.

At this time of year everyone is running around trying to find great gifts for the people we care about.  The value of a gift often has nothing to do with how it affects us.  Some of the most meaningful gifts have little monetary value.  The simplicity of Sergei’s rose was spellbinding.

Apparently a lot of people really liked the picture of Sergei Kourdakov lifting weights that I posted on last week’s blog.  I jokingly told friends that if I changed my book cover to that shirtless photo of Sergei more people would check it out.  How boring is a red rose on a book cover compared to him?  The rose on the cover of my book, however, is actually very symbolic for Sergei and me.  When you read A Rose for Sergei you will understand its importance.  The gifts we give from the heart are the ones that last a life time.

Wherever you are this holiday season, I wish you peace and a Happy New Year.