Husband’s wish comes true with friend’s help

I need to share a secret.

One that I’m hoping you will keep for me.

First, a little backstory.

It has to do with gifts. Husband and I rarely give them to each other.

We’ve tended to go with the idea of adventures over stuff. The trip is the gift to each other.

And, if we need something, we get it.

You might remember the incredibly romantic gift I received last June marking the 10-year anniversary of my and Husband’s meeting.

Our old rusted air conditioner overflowed with condensation and crashed through the ceiling of one of our daughter’s bedrooms.

Nothing shouts, “Happy Anniversary!” like a new AC unit and repaired drywall.

During our mushy dating days, it went like this: Think of an idea, make up a gift certificate, fulfill it later.

Only the fulfillment never seemed to happen.

The gift to get to see my favorite inspirational speaker?

So much thought went into that.

It has yet to happen.

One year, I had a fabulous idea. I decided to get Husband a guitar. Keep in mind, I know nothing about guitars.

I put up a post on NextDoor. com asking neighbors where I should buy Husband a guitar.

The basic answer was, “Don’t. You have to let the person try it out for themselves.”

This fit in perfectly to our birthday tradition. Out came the markers to make a gift certificate, “You’re getting a guitar!”

“You have to pick it out for yourself,” I explained.

Only he never did. If he’s bad at buying gifts for other people. He’s even worse at getting something for himself. He always thinks of something we need more. See AC unit above.

Which is how I come back around to the Friend I mentioned last week.

The one who, with her husband, is selling her house and heading out to live fulltime in the RV. The one who left the plant because she decided she shouldn’t be responsible for any living things.

“I have something I need to bring by,” she announced when she called the other day.

Apparently, while visiting here last weekend, the two husbands talked guitars. Friend’s husband has a few and loves them.

This was Friend calling to tell me as part of their downsizing her husband wants one of his guitars to go Husband.

She’ll be by next month to drop it off.

I’m really excited.

You know the feeling Dear Reader?

How easy it is to look at the hole that never got filled, only to see a gift show up in a more magnificent way?

No, I haven’t forgotten the advice to let each person pick their own guitar.

But I figure when the player never picks a guitar, sometimes the universe needs to send him a guitar to pick.

I’m going to let Friend surprise husband.

I just had to tell someone.

So, I’m telling you.

The way we keep each other’s secrets—

Thank you.

That’s yet another incredible gift.