Week 2: Give This Everything You've Got

This weeks theme was Gifts. And Id like to share several of the writing submissions.

What』s something that you could give a friend next week? How do you imagine theyll feel when they receive it?

The only thing I want to give my friends next week is a huge hug. I』m not being stingy or mean. I truly feel that people sometimes become depressed out of nowhere, especially sensitive people. They may be upset because of a sorrowful movie or a sorrowful book or even have some conflicts with their friends.

The purpose of a hug is to let my friends know that I always have their back. In this era, we can easily get a lot of things if we have enough money. But we are losing a treasured thing, the connection to the people we treasure. What I deeply believe is that a hug can help rebuild the connection between us.

However, all the things I』ve said above are only my most hopeful wishes. The truth is that I can』t let my thought run wild. What is most likely to happen is just a moment of awkwardness. My friends will probably wonder if something』s wrong with me. And when I say that it』s a gift for them, they will ask for something more materialistic.

By Tayte

Brian: Im definitely biased here. Personally, I enjoy giving and receiving non-materialistic gifts. I often find that those types of gifts have a story of their own. I also believe in the magic of hugs. But my favorite part of this response is how the third paragraph turns playfully cynical.

What』s the most treasured gift that you』ve received? What』s the story behind it?

The most treasured gift I』ve received is an album called Love & Hate released in 2016 by the British artist Michael Kiwanuka. Though the gift-giver is my best friend and this album is what I』ve craved for a long time, the real reason I consider this album as my most cherished gift is that I never, ever would』ve imagined that she would give me this as my birthday present.

It』s a gift of euphoria and surprise. All my close friends know that I』m a feverish music lover, and my best friend, Chilin, is no exception. Last summer, I was inevitably enchanted with this great album for its exceedingly insightful and skillful music. I even changed my WeChat avatar to the album cover to show my infatuation. Although it received widespread critical acclaim in the West, it gained little popularity in China (due to the genre, I guess). So I didn』t expect anyone would have talk with me about this album, not to mention even buy me one.

At the time, Chilin was attending a summer school in the U.S. and she knew my WeChat picture was one of the albums I was interested in at the time (probably because I mentioned that indirectly in group chat). And the day before she left the States, she hurried to a CD store, enlarged my WeChat avatar, pointed to the image and asked the clerk to get that album for her.

I can imagine the scene – it must have been hilarious because she knew nothing about the album and the album cover is basically a blizzard. Eventually she managed to get the album for me. Overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of receiving the gift, I knew I would always treasure it and my best friend. But when she got back home, she found that she had left the gifts she prepared for her brother at the CD store. I』m extremely grateful for her present, but at the same time, I feel guilty for being the bane of her brother』s lost gifts.

Yup, that gift really cost her a lot.

By Reich

Brian: The surprise ending is such a gem.

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