Gift giving
Letter to the editor
10/11/2019, 6 a.m.
When my wife and I settled in the Richmond area from the then-smaller Fredericksburg region, we thought this area would be more tolerant and open-minded.
Because of our fun-loving nature and quirkiness, we unconditionally gave gifts to people.
However, our actions weren’t understood and the new people didn’t seem to comprehend our reason for sharing the gifts.
Was it flirtation? Getting frisky? What was our motive?
No one could relate to the feel-good sensation it gave us, and we were considered ridiculous, childish and pathetic.
Richmond was a bigger town, but had small Southern minds.
We considered returning and restarting in the Fredericksburg area. However, after Fredericksburg’s growth, fashioning it as a Washington suburb, we hunkered down in Richmond and became domesticated to the area.
Although it’s still frowned upon and oftentimes reprimanded, we still do extend gifts to those who have touched us within.
We would like to express regret for any offense we have caused people, but we do not apologize for being ourselves.
Our sincere wish for society?
That the restrictions of tolerance, equality and diversity be scrapped and everyone accept each other amenably, no matter the naïveté of our belief that “all you need is love.”
RICK KNIGHT
Henrico County
