Presence vs Presents

It was a normal day before Thanksgiving, until I got a remarkable call from someone wanting a commission piece.  

The client wanted a custom, heart shaped clay jigsaw puzzle with each piece representing 3 generations of family members.  I said "sure I'd be honored to do this; let's meet Saturday morning."

As we talked through the project I learned that one person needed a major organ transplant.  Either she or her brother would be donating one of their organs right after Christmas to save her.  WOW!  

The puzzle idea stemmed from her heart.  A desire to pull a busy, geographically distanced family together through a very symbolic gift. She'll present the puzzle with a reminder that each person is a piece of the family and when interwoven, the family is complete.  When one piece is missing from a puzzle, it can crumble or has a gaping hole.  

We decided to color each person's piece with their birthstone color.   Each person will take their ornamental piece as a reminder of love that binds and holds together what matters most.

This is no ordinary commission piece for me.  It's one that has given me pause to reflect.  In a season of "must have lists", too many lose sight of thoughtful and precious gifts to share. 


It's easy to check off those lists, but a gift like this puzzle says so much more.  It's asking for presence instead of presents.  Presence doesn't disappear after the paper is cleaned up and the novelty of the store bought gift wears off.   It's a treasured gift too often overshadowed by hectic every day life.   It's a present that will be etched in hearts, not a thing.  It's a memory to cherish.  Is there really any better gift to give?

I'm thrilled to be a part of this project, and I'm thankful for the reminder of the value of presence over presents this season.

---