Post Script for Discipline

I was talking with a friend of mine, after having written my last post about Michael's disciplined life, when I had a sudden realization. I forgot to say that there was one area where he had absolutely no discipline.  He had no discipline when it came to giving me gifts, whether they were needs or wants.  If I had asked for the moon, he would have marketed all over the world to find the best way to get there, pulled some strings with someone he knew, obtained the miracle, wrapped it in the most creative and beautiful way he could find, then pull it out and give it to me with the comment, "Oh, I have one more gift for you."..... like it was some afterthought.  His generosity towards me was unbridled. It did not matter how much money we had or did not have, he always wanted to give me the best of everything.  One of our Christmas morning traditions is to open our presents one at a time while we all watch each other and talk with excitement over each gift.  Most years, everyone would be finished, and I would still have about five more presents from him to open.  He took great joy in watching me and the children open gifts, and took just as much interest in the hunt for the gift itself.  He would call me while he was out shopping for me on any occasion just to tell me how much fun he was having shopping for me.  If he found a great store where he had never been, he would say, "Babe, I've hit the jackpot!"  He inherited this beautiful trait from his father.  I remember being at his parents one night to celebrate his mother's birthday.  His dad had countless presents, custom wrapped, in a back room and kept coming into the room with one, grand presentation at a time.  It was lavish and beautiful.

 He loved to give gifts to the children with as much forethought and abundance as he gave me.  He loved to spoil them at Christmas.  He could find us gifts that we would have never dreamed of or seen before then tell us how he "happened" upon them.  Just when you thought he had gone over the top, he would give something more.  He was also all about the presentation to make the greatest impact. One Christmas morning before we had children, he had created a beautiful setting with all of my gifts displayed for me to see as I walked into the room.  It was a lovely vanity table with a lift up mirror and two side drawers. The drawers were open with pretty items coming out of them, and sitting on top was a silver tray with new perfume, earrings, chocolates, and many other things that I do not recall.  Next to the vanity table was a full length, free standing mirror to match.  Draped over one side of the mirror was a night gown.  He was undisciplined in his love for me and the children.  He was undisciplined in his desire to give to us. He was undisciplined in his efforts to meet our wants and desires.  He gave as much as he could and whenever he could... there were no rules.  He did not want to control it.  It was a joyous ride for him. He was disciplined to be undisciplined in his love towards us.