i’d like to ask for some advice please. i was already set on giving away this one book to one of those take a book, leave a book shelves, when i opened it and realized it was a birthday gift from my parents, with a note on the front page. i decided i still wanted to give it away, but my mom made me doubt my decision. should i follow through, or should i keep it instead? i don’t read it anymore and have already read it more than twice over. it’s a not very well known children’s book that i think is just so full of fun and whimsy, and i would like to share it with others too.
Keep it, if you’re the sentimental sort. The few things I have left from my mom, I cherish entirely and now wouldn’t give up for the world and I reckon this children’s book could hold similar value to you.
One day, if you ever make it to old age, you’ll regret that decision of giving it away
I don’t know how old you are or what sort of life you might have, but you might wish to share it with a child with whom you are close at some point in the future.
If you’re like me, once your parents are gone, you’ll weep over and cherish even the tiniest scrap of their handwriting. I’d keep it. Pick another book to donate.
Do you feel obligated to keep any of the other birthday gifts from your parents or anyone else?
I’m a big believer that gifts should never become a burden. That the giver should have no expectations on how it’s used or how long it is kept.
The only reason to keep it is if you think you’ll regret not owning it after your parents pass, which I hope is a long way off. If not, then let it go out into the world and bring someone else joy.
Keep it!
I think your first impulse was the right one and I think you know it was, given that you still want to give it away. And it’s refreshing that you want to share the fun you got from reading it by passing it on to others. Don’t let your mother guilt you out of doing what you intended; you might stifle any further objection with something like, ‘But mom, I loved it so much it seemed unfair to keep it for myself’. If she still objects, wait until your back is turned to her before rolling your eyes unless she’s carping outright.
I am a very sentimetal person but try not to hoard things. Books are something very special to me, so if I had a book with a message from one or both of my parents, I would keep it and cherish it.
I could also be biased because I am extremely close with my parents, and my father is currently losing his battle with cancer. So the idea of having a message from him in a book would make me smile every time I saw it on my shelf.I am a very sentimetal person but try not to hoard things. Books are something very special to me, so if I had a book with a message from one or both of my parents, I would keep it and cherish it.
I could also be biased because I am extremely close with my parents, and my father is currently losing his battle with cancer. So the idea of having a message from him in a book would make me smile every time I saw it on my shelf.