gifts immeasurable

“I don’t have a gift for you…”
“Things are complicated, you would give me a gift if you could.”
“They are complicated, still…”
“If you could give me anything, what would you give me?”
“I have thought about this a long time. If I could give you anything, I would fashion a ring for you out of string. If you got an envelope in the mail and all it had in it was a ring made of string, would you know it was from me?”
“Yes, I would know.”

She thought on the gifts he had given her, a few simple things that fit into a shoe box. There were photographs, his drawing on a napkin, ticket stubs, a mint wrapper, hotel room key… There was half of the rock he picked up at a favorite spot from their past. How she treasured that rock, treasured everything! They were tokens that proved it wasn’t all just a dream, their love was real, he was real. She thought of the memories he had given her, sweet memories of times together; the surprise plane ride, the day he carved their initials in a tree, their long walks, talks, laughing. She could feel his skilled hands massaging her aching feet. She thought of his letters, memorized from their re-reading. She thought of what his love had done for her, how it had healed her broken spirit, renewed faith in herself. His love had given her hope for the future, courage to escape her pain and freed her to be her truly wonderful, authentic self. How could he possibly know the extent of the gifts he had given her?
And yet, he did know, for she had done the same for him.