Some gifts are more than objects, they’re moments that shape who we are. In this special feature, we asked some of our friends to share the most meaningful gift they’ve ever received. Whether it was a physical item, a kind gesture, or an act of unexpected generosity, these gifts left lasting marks. Changing perspectives, restoring hope, and strengthening connection.
Just a 2-dollar investment?
We’ve all received cash as a gift at some point in life. And while it’s nice to have the freedom to choose what to spend it on, there can be so much more to holding that crisp bill than just to fatten your wallet. Jill Dole of The Timbrook Guesthouse in Worthington remembers a time when that bill was something more special than she could have ever guessed.
“When I was about nine years old,” Jill reminisces, “my maternal grandfather called my siblings and me into their living room where he opened up an envelope with four freshly printed two-dollar bills.”
“He was so excited to give each of us one,” continues Jill, “telling us that the government just started making them and he wanted us to have some of the first ones produced.”
The uniqueness of that gift, coupled with the excitement of her grandfather, made that gift more meaningful than any other single gift in Jill’s life. “I promised myself that day never to spend that bill. Every time I come across it in my purse, I can’t help but smile, remembering all the fond memories I have of my grandfather.” Says Jill. “In his memory, each of our grandchildren has now received their own crisp two-dollar bill, along with the story behind it.”
Just a Plane Ticket?
When Alexa Geno was gifted a foreign-exchange opportunity, the ticket itself was just a formality—it was the experience that forever altered her life. “Being a foreign exchange student,” Alexa explains, “ended up being an unknown catalyst to my current career.”
Alexa is owner of Maison Voyage, a full-service travel agency that makes the foreign friendly. This friendliness was just one of the things that Alexa’s gift provided. “That gift helped my appreciation for new-to-me cultures and people and drove me to earn my fluency in 4 languages.” Says Alexa.
Just a Generational Tshatshke?
Delcina Brown is a successful advanced esthetician, and Master Make-up Artiste visionary who runs 614 Beauty. Her salon workspace is lined with vintage beauty pieces—“antique compacts and delicate treasures.” So, when a bride-to-be client of hers was getting a facial, a perfect gift idea clicked. But it was so much more than just a kind gesture for Delcina.
“The best present I’ve ever received was a vintage Art Deco compact that one of my brides gifted me from her grandmother’s collection.” Recalls Delcina. “It was such a heartfelt gesture, a piece of history passed from one woman to another. I keep it on display as a reminder that beauty, connection, and the bonds we form through this work are truly timeless.”
So next time you’re stumped with what to get that special someone in your life, remember the deeper story that can be held within even the simplest gifts.
"Years later, I tucked that gift into my wallet for good luck - and it’s still there today."