When you love someone—truly love them—take care not to purchase, as a token of that affection, what may be found across the counter, no matter how rare or costly it might be. It is natural, of course, to feel elated at the thought of delighting a beloved with something pleasing to their taste. But consider this: in an age when most of us possess not only what we need but far more than is needful, gifts of mere currency—however finely wrapped—are apt to perish with time, or worse, to be forgotten. They may be lost, broken, stolen, or discarded by those who follow us, unacquainted with the heart from which the gift once sprang.
The treasures that endure are seldom those acquired by silver or gold, but rather those which bear the imprint of the soul. A note written in your hand, a trifle made with care, a moment set aside from the clamour of the world—all these, though materially slight, are spiritually weighty. For it is not the object itself, but the love enshrined within it, that roots itself in the memory and endears itself to the heart.
Books, I believe, make a noble exception to this rule, for they are not merely objects but vessels of thought, imagination, and inner companionship. And yet, even here, let your love leave its trace. Inscribe your words—some reflection, some fragment of your soul—upon the flyleaf, and your gift becomes more than paper and ink. It becomes a communion. Long after you have left this world, even if those who inherit the book deem it unworthy of shelf or sentiment, it may still find its way into the hands of a fellow lover of books—a stranger perhaps, but one who might pause upon your inscription, and in doing so, honour the love with which it was once bestowed.
Thus does a simple book become a legacy—not merely of knowledge, but of affection. And that, I daresay, is a far rarer gift than any coin could purchase.
