This evening as I was doing the “company’s coming quick clean chicken dance”….yet, again….I discovered a most curious sight in the dining room. Tucked within my recently acquired (thanks to Craig’s List) beautifully lit china cabinet, amongst the most special of the special glassware that one accumulates through one’s life, I spied a stowaway. Propped up in front of a wedding china plate was a very old – one might even say “antique”……….. faded yellow tupperware cereal bowl.
I am quite certain that I did not place the plastic bowl in the china cabinet. But I know who did…..well, I have it narrowed it down to the final two, at least. And I am also quite certain that it’s placement by the Ninja bowl mover(s) was left as a token of his/her/their affection. =)
to·ken
<a onmousedown=”spk(this,{lk:’nx1fkx’,en:’wotdau’,io:’0′,b:’wotd’,tp:’lrl’,m:’wotdau’})” href=”#”></a><a target=”_blank” href=”http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/T03/T0346200″><img border=”0″ src=”http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/speaker.gif”></a> /ˈtoʊkən/ Show Spelled[toh-kuhn] Show IPA
noun
1. Something serving to represent or indicate some fact, event, feeling, etc.; sign.
2. A characteristic indication or mark of something; evidence or proof.
3. A memento; souvenir; keepsake: The seashell was a token of their trip.
4. Something used to indicate authenticity, authority, etc.; emblem; badge: Judicial robes are a token of office.
5. Also called token coin . a stamped piece of metal, issued as a limited medium of exchange, as for bus fares.
Somewhere along the language way, I think this wonderful little word – token – has gotten a bad rap. We think of “token gestures” as somehow less than rather than authentic proof of the REAL thing. For example, if someone were to offer us a free week at….say….their fabulous Mexican timeshare and we wanted to express our love and appreciation for that gift….we might, say, craft her a simple necklace from a shell taken from the beach from said fabulous Mexican timeshare. Would that gift make us “even” in the exchange? Hardly! But it would certainly be a token, not of just the vacation, but of the love and affection held for said timeshare….er.
At my Chuck E. Cheese 13th birthday party last month (think about it……it’ll come….) we were given shiny gold tokens as part of our Family Fun Deal. You’ve seen those….like little gold quarters, only useless anywhere but in Chuck E. Cheese vending and game machines! Anyway, I divied up the tokens among the party goers and we all took turns playing games, earning those little paper tickets that entice you to play more to get more paper tickets so you can choose from among the fabulous prizes behind the glass counter. And then a delightful thing happened at the end of our tokened game-play. My gaming companions cashed in their coveted tickets and…..gave them to the birthday girl. Yup….that’s right….as a token of their affection, they gave me their…..tokens (or, rather, the tickets that came from the tokens.) And I still have the pink glitter lip gloss to prove it!
If a token is evidence or proof that someone cares about me, is thinking of me, is concerned about my happiness….well…..that makes it a very important word indeed.
Think about what positive “tokens” you may have been given, and how they made you feel. Think about the attitudes and desires that may have been behind that gift, then go one step further….think about someone….just one person….this week who you might want to bless with a “token” gift. And make sure they know what they mean to you.
I think I’ll keep the faded yellow Tupperware bowl in my china cabinet for awhile. It makes me smile, and even more, it reminds me that there are people in my life who take the time to let me know how he/she/they feel.
“Even” exchange?
Absolutely. =)
I definitely want to see you wearing the glitter pink lip gloss next time I see you! :). Thanks, as always, for the thoughtful post.