Challenge: The Best Gift I Ever Received

For the last two years, I've been taking part in the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge over at Long and Short Reviews. The first link will take you to the list of topics; the second one goes to the homepage, where you can find a post with everyone's responses each week. Feel free to join in! 

The prompt for today is "the best gift I ever received," which is going to take some thinking even if I limit myself to physical gifts like birthday/Christmas presents and not metaphorical gifts like Becoming A Father.

...But after thinking about it a bit, I think I do have an answer. 

Back when my mother was still alive, she made sure that my brother and I always got at least one big present at Christmas. This continued well into our adulthood, though later on she would frequently just give us some extra cash to help take the strain off the end of the holiday season. And she was very good about checking with us to see what we actually wanted and/or needed. 

So, one year -- back during my sword-collecting days -- I asked for a kindjal. And she bought one for me. 

Now, I realize that this was probably not the most practical gift ever to grace my life; in fact, the impracticality of it was sort of the point. This was a gift requested -- and given -- for the sheer fun of owning such a thing. And it was a very elegant little blade, well-balanced and every bit as pretty as it looks. 

Unfortunately, when the boys came along I decided to pack the sword collection away, so I haven't gotten this one out in years; but someday -- someday, he repeats wistfully -- I'll be able to hang blades on the walls again, and this one can return to its place of pride.