Day 172. Happy coincidences

   Sometimes I'm really happy I can write my memories in here. There are some days which totally sweep you off your feet... those remarkable days that you'll want to remember. Today was one of them:)

   The morning rain was announcing a terrible day, but that was actually just the wrapping of the present. It scared me, but as the day passed and I opened my present I realized sometimes a beautiful thing can be wrapped in plain paper that turns you off. If you, however, have the patience to unwrap the present, the real beauty will come to light. 

   Out of nowhere my schedule cleared and a bright sun started to shine through the trees outside my office window. It was too good to be true:) I felt like reading in the park but I remembered the park wasn't green yet so I let that idea aside. By the time I decided to go home I found out my boyfriend had free time and he wanted to go walk in the park as well:) Sometimes things connect and you don't even have to move a finger. So this is how I ended up in the park with my loved one bathing in the warm sun and enjoying the life of a student... that careless life when you feel free to do anything you want and responsibility isn't written in your dictionary yet. I missed feeling like a student:) Working can limit you to behaving like an adult and forgetting to enjoy the little opportunities life gives you. But today I said "yes" and it felt sooo good:) 

   As I was putting the wrapping away I realized there was something else in the box. "Life of Pi". I knew it was supposed to be a good movie but for some reason I kept avoiding it. Until today. My whole family watched it. We laughed, we stared in amazement, we waited and then we sighed. It was one of those movies that exceed your expectations. Wow. Just wow. And here's the thing that impressed me the most:

"In the end the whole life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye."

   Today I was drunk with happiness, sunshine and freedom. I want to feel this again:) The feeling of youth makes you young again. And who doesn't want to be young?

Day 87. About gifts

   Gifts are such a sensitive theme to approach. Especially when you're not skilled in gift giving. Here are some rules that I thought about today while trying to find the perfect gift for a friend:

1. We should give presents for the right reason. Don't just do it because "you have to, cos it's his/her birthday" or "because he/she gave me something first". Do it because you WANT to. Because you want to make the other person happy. 

2. Then, find the right gift: something meaningful... not too pricey (we know you want to surprise him/her but don't just overdo it) nor too cheap (let's face it, you better handcraft something yourself than buying a cheap thing made in China). 

3. The right gift also involves knowing the person you're preparing it for. That's right. You have to know what he/she LIKES. If you don't know the person that well, ask for help. Ask his/her friends, family or colleagues. Just ask. Or search it on his/her FB page. It always shows a lot of things you might not be aware of. That's one of the benefits Facebook brings: knowing the others better. 

4. After you found a gift that the person might be happy about and you buy it be careful about wrapping it up nicely. We all like some extra attention on the details (ok, maybe just girls). Even if it's a small gift it will receive a better perspective if it has a beautiful wrapping:) 

5. If somehow you just can't find the right gift for someone, DON'T buy what YOU would like to receive. Bad, bad call! Exception: when you know the two of you have common passions. Otherwise, the person will only feel insulted. Be careful about the other person's feelings. It matters a lot:) 

6. Some people like useful gifts... something practical not something to stare at (like Christmas decorations). Others like handmade gifts. Be careful about that too.

   Gift giving might seem a tough job but it can turn into a challenging yet entertaining problem solving situation if we want to. One that helps us learn things about life and people.

   In my case it's fun. I admit it's hard at first if I don't know the person so well and I struggle a lot to find the perfect gift, but in the end I'm satisfied with the decision. 
   My friends and I played Secret Santa the other day so now I have a nice, new challenge ahead:) I can't wait to make my friend happy:)