Nice Guys Finish Awesomest

So a few nights ago, I was being that emotional girlfriend. Where I really just have to give Javier credit. I was crying. SO sentimental and sad about the fact that this year was my first Christmas without my family.

It didn't help that I re-found my Christmas stocking. Oh, man.

I literally do not remember a time in my life without this stocking. It was small, red and white felt, faded at the top. And in glitter script, "Judith."

My mom's handwriting. My parents were poor back in the day when I was a kid. Beautiful red, green, and silver glitter glue mixed together to form my one stocking that back when I believed in Santa, was the gateway Christmas tradition to my true love and loyalty.

This year, I stared at that stocking. I wept and clutched it to my chest, this symbol of my 2008 loss.

Javier saw I was red-faced, and never made me feel like That Crying Girl In The Room.

"Baby!" he said as he rushed to me and held me in my angst. "What's wrong?"

I apologized profusely for being ridiculous, and he told me to let it out.

So I cried about my Christmas stocking.

"There has not been one Christmas of my life where this stocking was not full. Nuts…oranges….oh my God, the cereal!"

I burst into tears.

I don't know how you guys feel about the cereal variety packs, but to my brother and me, they ruled the world. When you're not spoiled, how magical are the tiny cereal boxes?

My mom was awesome and realized that tiny cereal boxes were important to her kids. So she started putting one in each of her two kids' stockings; then Eric was born and he got one; then Sasha and Luda came to our family, and they each got one.

Javier comes from one of the most generous families I've ever known. His Christmas fun had nothing to do with little boxes of cereal. But I wept, and he nodded, and was the best boyfriend in the world.

Fast forward to his family's Christmas celebration, and the exchanging of presents. There was a surprise present from Javier, though we'd already exchanged presents.

I ripped off the wrapping paper, and there was a variety pack of cereal. And not even the usual run-of-the-mill variety pack. Honey Smacks, Cocoa Krispies…top of the line.

Javier gave me cereal.

Already, he'd given me beautiful jewelry, but the cereal was my favorite present in many Christmases.

To have a guy who not only doesn't run for the hills when I cried, but went and found the one little thing that made me weep for my childhood Christmas stocking?

Wow. That is an amazing guy. One of my top Christmas presents, of my life.

You don't need a lot of money to make someone's Christmas. You don't need to be a stud or a millionaire to rock a girl's world. You just need to love someone, and pay attention. It's amazing, how far a dollar can stretch, when love is involved.












© 2008