Gift given with love

The best gifts are those given with love and are often those that can’t be purchased. I received such a gift several years ago at Christmas. It happened at our annual Candlelight Service at First United Methodist Church in Russellville.

The church was packed that night, and everyone was squeezing together to make room for the people. My husband Robert, my son Aaron, and I arrived early and were seated near the middle of the church. Just before the service began, Robert got up and walked down to the front of the church. We wondered what he was doing but decided that he was helping to bring in chairs for latecomers. However, we soon realized that was not the case. To our surprise, Robert sat down at the piano. The audience became quiet. In the quietness, he began to play, “Silent Night.”

We were shocked. You see, Robert didn’t know how to play the piano. He had been secretly taking lessons for months from the church’s choir director so that he could give me this beautiful gift for Christmas. Yes, he missed a few notes, but he played the carol all the way through. I have never heard “Silent Night” sound so beautiful.

When he finished playing, he stood up and said to the congregation, “I wanted to give my wife a special gift this year.” Then he looked at me and said, “Honey, this is my Christmas present to you.” There were more than just my tears in the congregation that night.

My husband passed away last year. We had 55 wonderful Christmases together. There were many gifts during those years, but of all the gifts I have ever received, I treasure this one the most because it was a gift of self, and it was given with love.

ANN SQUYRES

Russellville