My friend once sent me a beautiful portrait that she had commissioned of my family.  Along with that priceless gift, she sent me a text with the link to an old gospel song that contained the following lyrics: 

“Give me my flowers right now. If you feel like I deserve anything, don’t wait until I’m dead and gone.  If I’ve been nice to you or done something to make you happy along the way, then give me my flowers now while I can still see the beauty that they bring.” 

She said to me that she wanted to gift me with something beautiful because I was the most generous and thoughtful person she’d ever met.  She said she wanted me to know how much she appreciated me before one of us left this earth.  I’ve never forgotten that generous gift, nor the fact that someone viewed me in such a…