NORMAL LIFE: How Can You Be Ungrateful... Graciously?

I recently turned 30 (read here). Rather than over-analysing the birthday with depressing thoughts of what I might have versus what I might not have acheived, I welcomed my 30's with open arms.

For my birthday, Bree had bought me a pair of real-gold cufflinks with a diamond studded into each one. It was a hugely original gift, something that would last forever, but when I looked at them again recently I couldn't help but think that they would never get used.

I worked up the courage to ask Bree if we could exchange them for something else. He agreed, so off we went. When we got to the store (this was yesterday), there wasn't anything I liked. I ended up leaving with a gift card for a sizeable sum since the shop didn't give refunds. There I was with a piece of card with a sum of money written onto it as if though it were an I.O.U and was thinking: what the fuck am I supposed to do with this when I didn't like anything else in the store?

When we got home, the arguments started. Apparently, going to the store to exchange the present was one thing, but leaving the store again with nothing but a measly gift card as a 30th birthday present, left Bree's attempt at buying something highly original somewhat unappreciated.

Even after five years, I sometimes feel he doesn't know me so I explained: all my life, I have never really appreciated classy things and, because I don't respect them, I am careless with them which means they end up broken or lost. Therefore, the cufflinks would have remained hidden away in a cupboard somewhere whereas I'm more a person of practicality; I like things I can use.

I hardly slept all of last night and, as the hours passed, I suddenly realised just how unique his gift was and how much the gift said this isn't something someone else would buy you! I felt like a shit so, this afternoon, I return to the store, intent on buying back the cufflinks.

While I didn't actually buy back the cufflinks, it overjoyed Bree to learn that I had bought myself a TAG Heuer Formula 1 watch, very similar to the one I had bought him for his 40th last December. While I might not have bought back the very original gift of the cufflinks, we were now watch-buddies!

This episode taught me that, when it comes to receiving a gift that really isn't you, it's so difficult to be graciously ungrateful. Bree took it personally, but the watch serves as a reminder as to how much we have in common and, fortunately, that isn't limited to a common taste in watches.