On the eve of the third and final show of “You’re a Monster, Matthew Dicks,” I was greeted in the theater lobby by an employee named Warren, who had seen the show the previous night.
He offered me some kind words about the show and my performance, and then he said, “I have something for you. It’s something I’ve owned and treasured for a long time, but I want you to have it now.”
Then he handed me this, inscribed with a quote written by novelist Jonathan Swift in the eighteenth century that could’ve also been written about my show:
“May you live every day of your life.”
In some way, these words are the essence of my show.
I tried to reject the gift, feeling it was too much, but Warren insisted. He pressed the gift into my hand, thanked me for my performance, and we hugged.
Two things about that moment, and specifically about that gift:
- I can’t imagine a more meaningful gift than giving away something you’ve owned and treasured. Nothing could’ve meant more to me at that moment.
- I’ve already placed Warren’s gift on my desk, and every time I look at it, I will remember the moment we shared in that lobby. And every time I read Swift’s words, I will remember performing that show on that stage and the joy I felt in pulling it off.
I’ve never been a big gift person. Some of the best gifts I have ever received have been notes and letters written to me by Elysha, former students, the parents of former students, and friends. In fact, I carry a folder in my backpack that contains five letters written to me by students, colleagues, and friends.
They are the five most meaningful things anyone has ever written to me, and thus, five of the best gifts I’ve ever received. I keep them by my side at all times, ready to bolster my spirit if needed.
Warren’s gift won’t live inside my backpack like those letters, but it will live on my desk, where it will be seen and appreciated every day. Best of all, it will remind me of a moment in my life when I did something that once seemed impossible.
It will transport me back to a moment in my life that I will never forget.
It truly is the thought behind the gift that matters most.
