The Unexpected Gift

“Strange as it may seem, I still hope for the best, even though the best, like an interesting piece of mail, so rarely arrives, and even when it does it can be lost so easily.”

Lemony Snicket

Lovelies, have you ever received something unexpected in the mail?

Not the unpleasant kind of unexpected – like a traffic fine, or a disconnection notice – but something lovely and marvellous? The kind of thing that makes you believe in magic and kindness and the goodness of people and the wisdom of Universal Timing?

I have, and here it is:

Last week Ben brought the mail home, and in amidst the letters and catalogues and parcels was a very rough and battered-looking package addressed to me, from my dear friend Helen.

I wondered why the package looked so wrecked – it’s not such a long distance from Sydney to our farm. And then I opened the package and I understood.

Helen sent me this gift over two years ago – a present for my 50th birthday. It’s the most beautiful evening bag, embroidered with butterflies and blossoms and twinkly beads. The kind of bag I used to covet when I was a small girl and I would watch my mother dress up to go off to some evening event with my father. In her little clutch purse would be a lace handkerchief, a lipstick, a powder compact with mirror, a small bottle of scent and perhaps some breath mints. It all seemed so impossibly glamorous when I was a tiny girl in my pyjamas, looking at my elegant mother and wanting so much to be grown up and to go dancing or to the theatre or out to dinner.

My eyes filled with tears as I read the card. I’ve had a rough patch with my health recently, and Helen’s message was just the positive message I needed to fill my cup back up. Suddenly I wanted to dress up and go to dinner with my darling man, or out dancing or on some kind of grown-up adventure. But we are locked down at our farm, because of my poor immune system and the threat of Coronavirus. Going out right now is impossible.

‘Why don’t we dress up and have a romantic dinner at home next week, when you’re feeling better?’ Ben said. ‘We can play music and sip cocktails and eat by candle-light and dance to our favourite songs?’

So, that’s what we are going to do.

An evening bag this fabulous deserves a special night to use it. You have to make the most of every moment, because none of us ever know what tomorrow brings.

I hope you can find some time to make some magical memories for yourself right now too.

Much love, a party dress, and a sweet pair of dancing shoes, Nicole xx