My new bike and The Gift of the Magi

You have heard this tale by O. Henry (aka William Sydney Porter), right? Where a poor couple, Della and Jim, give sacrificially to each other. They have no money, and it is Christmastime. So she cuts off her long, beautiful hair, to buy a platinum fob chain for Jim's family watch. He, in turn, sells the watch to buy her beautiful tortoise-shell combs she has long admired. 

Tripping over each other, they present their gifts, their hearts overflowing with love. And, of course, the gifts they sacrificed for seem practically useless then--yet they cement and grow their love. All of this being compared to the gifts of the magi who came to worship Christ.

full story here

And so my own magi story has unfolded over the last 3 months. My husband, David, had two nice bikes of his own--one he used on bike trips, the other a mountain bike he used for everything else. I had no bike of my own, and so we started thinking about purchasing one. Except that David was laid off, and even though we made two trips to the bike store, we didn't want to dip into our savings to purchase a bike. I drooled over a Trek and a Globe model, to be exact, but tried to make peace with the fact that there was not going to be a bike in my near future.

Over the last few months, I also suggested a few money-saving ideas to my husband. Why not cancel the Y membership for the summer and downgrade the cable to basic. He agreed, and so I have been walking outdoors. He rode his bike, but he also took walks with his wife. And so the summer unfolded.

Except that last week, one week before David headed back to work, he said that he was thinking about selling the Bianchi road bike. "Are you sure, honey?" I said. "What if you decide you want to start making road trips again." And he said, "No, I don't see that happening. I'm ready to get rid of the bike."

And what I didn't realize at the time was that David figured by selling his road bike he could purchase me a new comfort bike. And that is exactly what he did. Last night, before we left for prayer meeting at church, he informed me that he wanted to stop by the bike shop to purchase a bike for me, before church.

I literally yelled "yippee!" and jumped a few inches into the air. He was rewarded with a kiss.

And we were off to the bike shop. As he drove my new champagne-colored Globe Carmel out to the car, I smiled from ear to ear. I felt like a kid in a candy shop. And all I wanted was open road and my new comfort bike--a gentle ride for my 36-year-old rear.

When prayer meeting was over, I started to push the husband toward the door. Let's go home and take a ride. Although the sun was close to setting, we pulled out our bikes, raced around the park trail, in rhythm to the live music there, then circling a small pond. And finally, home.

There is a wonderful feeling of joy and contentment in riding through the neighborhoods with my husband on this new bike. A bike he planned for and sacrificed for. A gift he gave willingly, wanting to share this activity with me.

Instant gratification is overrated, my friends. It's the gifts of thoughtfulness and heart that get me every time. Long live the story of The Gift of the Magi, and may all of us experience the joy of giving through sacrifice.

The O. Henry story ends with the author/narrator comparing the pair's mutually sacrificial gifts of love with those of the Biblical Magi:

The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.