An unexpected surprise arrived

An unexpected surprise arrived at my door today.  It came in a white bubble-wrap envelope, laced with the markings of a package that’s traveled between countries.

“What could this be?” I wondered out loud, examining the Royal Mail stickers and return address from Edinburgh, Scotland. Excitedly, I tore the envelope open and pulled out a card and a small, beautifully wrapped gift.

It was clear from the label which read “Becktoria” that it came from three of my closest friends, George, Marie and Hannah.

The three of them had come to visit me in October. It had been several years since we’d all been together in the same place, so we were keen to make the most of our time together. True to form, it was an epic weekend filled with laughter, heart-to-heart talks and our usual group silliness.

I smiled at the memory and then eagerly tore back the wrapping paper and opened the small square box.

I was not expecting what I found inside. It was a stunning necklace bearing a handcrafted, sterling silver pendant of three parakeet birds.

A passage from the card reads:

“We decided it would be great to send you ‘three little birds’-and these birds soon became parakeets. We had this commissioned from a friend of George …we hope you like it. Each of the birds is from one of us.”  

In one fell swoop, they’d managed to find me the perfect gift.

During one of our many chats, I’d disclosed my affinity for the song “three little birds” by Bob Marley whose chilled out lyrics advise the listener:

“Don’t worry about a thing. Every little thing’s going to be alright”.

After a tumultuous few years, the lyrics have become a soothing reminder to be patient and resilient during difficult times.

This handcrafted, custom-made gift has completely blown me away! It’s one of the most thoughtful, wonderful gestures I’ve ever received and it has “me” written all over it. Not only because it’s the type of statement necklace I love to wear, but because every time I wear it I will be reminded of these three (one for each bird) important lessons:

1. Life has a way of working itself out. Not always as you want or expect it too, but with faith, time and patience, things will be alright.
2. Beautiful, unexpected surprises are everywhere. The three birds on my necklace are parakeets, a perfect choice because they remind me of the joy I experienced when I discovered that these exotic creatures actually live here in Amsterdam. I love to look out my window and see them perched on a branch by my window; it reminds me that our world is full of surprises just waiting to be discovered.
3. I have some of the most amazing friends who love me and who will be there for me, as I will for them, through thick and thin. Whatever happens in life, I know I can count on my three little birds for support, encouragement and fun.

Thank you George, Hannah and Marie! I love you all! x