Harrison Tradition dictates that all the siblings draw names for Christmas presents each year (kinda makes sense since there's 12 of them, plus spouses). This year Brooke was lucky enough to draw both me and Matt. She asked each of us for opinions on what the other might like, and I did my best to give her a few suggestions. I had no idea what Matt had suggested for me, but she came up with the idea for some art for Matt. Matt is a bit of an art connoisseur, so I thought that was a great idea.
Christmas night after dinner, we all trooped downstairs to the basement to open the rest of our sibling presents. We had already opened our stockings and Matt and I had opened all of our presents to each other, but we had collectively decided to open sibling presents in the evening when more people would be there. When it was our turn, Brooke gave us our presents at the same time: matching packing tubes. Matt opened his first, but it was empty. Instead, Brooke pulled out a cool abstract painting from behind her back and brought it to him. Next was my turn, and surprise, my tube was empty too. I thought art was a cool gift idea (great for decorating our new place) and was excited to see what Brooke had picked out for me. But I was not prepared for what she pulled out from behind her back.
I only lived in San Francisco for a short time, but it changed my life in so many ways. While I was there, I visited the Museum of Modern Art twice: the second time was my first "non-date" with Matt, but the first time I was there I fell in love with this exact print. I love everything about it: the simple rich colors, the abstractness of the labels, the intricate details of the district borders, and the memories associated with each of these districts that I love so much. It was probably three years ago that I first fell in love with this poster, but for whatever reason, I did not buy it at the time. I was probably too poor from just moving to the city. But I never forgot it. When I moved out of the city, I think I even searched online for this poster because I was so sad to leave the city that I loved, but once again I never bought it.
Three years later, Brooke is handing me this print.
The exact print that I have always wanted.
I asked Matt if he had somehow known that I loved this print, if I had ever mentioned it to him. He had no clue. He had only told Brooke that he thought I would like something to remind me of the city.
Since I left San Francisco, my life has changed by leaps and bounds. This past year has been especially hard on me, and I have had to deal with a lot of personal trials. I have struggled with feelings of self doubt and have longed to feel the influence of the Spirit more in my life. I finally managed to dig myself out of my pit of self pity, but it was not easy. And now at the end of this year, when I have struggled and cried and fought and plead so much, Heavenly Father has sent me a reminder that He knows me. He knows who I am. He knows what I want. He knows what I need. And He wants me to be happy. He wants all of us to be happy. Because He loves every single one of us. No matter what.
We are children of our Heavenly Father, who loves us!
