Cheerier Subjects

Every once in awhile, it's nice to do something great for somebody who deserves it.

My friend Lisa has (almost) reached the landmark of having lost 100 pounds. ONE HUNDRED. Most of us struggle to lose 5, but she set a goal for herself to lose 100 pounds by her 40th birthday, and although she remains a couple pounds shy, she is absolutely going to make it. She had decided that as a reward to herself for the effort, she was going to treat herself to a beautiful pendant from Tiffany's, a few hundred dollars in value - not something that breaks the bank, but not something you'd buy for yourself every day either. I thought that was a great idea.

So great, in fact, that I decided to steal it. Not the pendant - the idea. I got in touch with a mutual friend, and she and I together contacted a few dozen people and asked folks to join us in jointly buying Lisa the pendant as a way of showing our pride in her for accomplishing such a monumental feat, and to illustrate what an inspiration we find her to be. I was a little worried - worried that she would feel cheated of the opportunity to reward herself, because this was a big deal; worried that she would go get it for herself before we could get it to her; worried that someone else would also think this was a great idea, independently from me, and Lisa would end up with a multitude of these pendants. Fortunately, only the latter came true, and her brother (the buyer) is being a good sport about it and happily exchanging his pendant for matching earrings.

Meanwhile, Lisa LOVED it. Absolutely loved it! She was completely floored. Gobsmacked, if you will. Surprised and thrilled, and it couldn't have been more perfect - it was exactly what we had hoped would happen. I cannot tell you how warm and fuzzy it makes me to see her so downright giddy, especially because I know it means so much to her to know that other people cared enough to do this for her. I wish I could do things like this more often for people - I wish we ALL did that more often for people. The gesture doesn't have to be grand or expensive - believe me, she's just as thrilled that 15 people went in on it as for the gift itself. But boy, what a world we'd have if we all relished in our friends' successes this way.