A GIFT OF MY TIME

I have been mulling over a post by a member who reflected on the legacy of his cherished timepieces, who should received them, might be entitled to own them? It was powerful, deeply provocative and obviously about much more than a few inanimate objects. I have two amazing daughters, accomplished young adults who cannot be more different, one born in winter the other in summer, on a July 1st Canada Day. My relationship with each girl is unique, surely not perfect but also not fractured or flawed as some family feared since I married quite late, became a dad later. I have dabbled with watches most of my life, own a few too many, perhaps even selfishly spent a few hundred dollars unwisely on the mass produced products. I have already gifted certain watches to each daughter, intend to continue doing so at random moments in our shared lives but I also sense no profound connections between my watches and them, after all the watches remain my special tokens not theirs. My wife is the best most clever woman that I am ever going to meet. She is fond of pretty silly things, she is normal. She graciously accepted a few modestly priced Cartier watches from me during the first years of our marriage but reminded me after the second that she is ok with two will welcome no more. It made gift giving much more challenging but I finally understand: she will one day leave a single timeless remembrance to each of her precious daughters. I am a full decade more senior than my wife so I do expect to shuffle off this mortal coil sooner than she, my hoard of timepieces is a careless affectation that she will deal with, I intend to assist by culling the herd and be more frugal, thoughtful with my future purchases perhaps save for a platinum FP Journe or not!

My girls decided to take in a midday showing of BARBIE which I think is a good film before they stopped by for one of dad’s simple home style dinners prepared with the best ingredients that I can source, always cooked with my love and best efforts. I hope this does not come off sounding goofy or maudlin but I suddenly realize that they do not crave future ownership of some of my favourite timepieces they are happy with the time that we have spent together and the good times ahead. My most appreciated gift to them should be my time not my watches.