More Depth---

During my last year of junior high school, I needed help with a meaningful birthday gift for my friend Dave.  Dave was a worldly and bright guy and though I wanted to provide the optimum gift, I didn't want it to be a 'Mormon Gift' since Dave wasn't one.  I had already tried to have him read the Book of Mormon but he had complained that when he got to the part about Lehi 'dwelling in a tent' he started laughing and couldn't quit so that was the end of his experience with the Book of Mormon.

I had no confidence that mom would be able to help me since in my mind she was all about family and church, church and family.  What would she know of the world of clever people let alone what a worthy gift would be for one of their elite?  Out of desperation I asked her advice anyway, prefacing the request that it not be some LDS religious book.  Her recommendation was thus:  THE PROPHET, by Kahlil Gibran.  I knew most of the presidents of the Church and had read scriptures enough times that I knew Gibran wasn't one of those prophets but otherwise I had no clue.

In the end, I took mom's advice, purchased the a fore mentioned book and read it myself prior to wrapping it up.  I enjoyed it and Dave seemed to place the book in the 'more than acceptable gift category' which was important to me at the time.  My most vivid memory of the event was that I gained a better appreciation of mom.  She was all about family and church, church and family but she was so by choice, not by default.

Remembered June 5, 2011  John Haymore