The perfect gift

     My father’s birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and every year I try to find something unique to give him.
     His birthday is the day before mine so it’s always been special.
     We both enjoy reading and listening to music from the 1960s so I usually try to find something for him that strengthens that bond between us, but it’s often difficult.
     I’m not creative when it comes to gift giving. I often end up relying on gift cards but along with those gift cards comes a twinge of guilt on my part for not putting any thought into the gift.
     Gift giving actually causes me a lot of stress but this year I’ve figured out the perfect gift to get him – that is, if there is such a thing as a perfect gift.
      I’m going to donate to the non-profit agency where he has been volunteering his time for the past several years.
     He says he doesn’t care about receiving any material items for his birthday such as clothes, shoes, or the number one best seller – and I believe him.
     He is going to be 55-years-old and I assume he has what he wants and if he doesn’t, he will buy it himself.
     Even at my age (exactly 30 years younger than my father) I often feel the same way in that I don’t care if someone buys me a present for my birthday.
     I’m not one of those people who is going to just say that and then be angry when I don’t get anything for birthday, either.
     One year my father gave me his high school class ring.
It’s something that no one else could have given to me and I’ll have it forever even long after he’s gone.
     I hope my gift to my father this year will hold the same kind of meaning and will tell him that I respect what he’s doing and that his volunteer work means something to not only him, but to me as well.