Legends

I am sitting on the floor of my bedroom in darkness. I feel tired, though I cannot sleep. I tried to for an hour. I gave up. Before my first attempt into the world of obscurity, I reread the short story "The Gift of the Magi" by the writer O'Henry. I remember reading it in the days of middle school. I did recall the overall message... and even the feeling I felt whilst reading it. A woman by the name of Della cannot afford to buy a Christmas gift for her husband Jim. She decides to sell one of the two most valued possessions they own... her hair that swiftly moves from a tight-knit knot into sheets of gorgeous, long hair. She then scours stores in order to find the perfect, in-ornate, classic gift for Jim. She discovers a simple, yet dignified chain for the second valued possession of their family-- the family heirloom, his self-assertive watch. At 7 pm, he comes home to find her in short "Coney Island Chorus Girl" curls... and he cannot physically react. He sold his watch in order to purchase combs that she had admired obsessively from a window on Broadway. They both retire and decide to put away their gifts until they can be of better use. Then O'Henry digresses and begins discussing the magi who visited "the Babe at the manger" and the purpose of their gifts. This bit somewhat vague. I believe that Della and Jim should not have rid their most valued possessions in order to purchase gifts for one another. I would hope that which binds them together, whether it be love, or something else, would connect them. I wish that they could have just collapsed onto one another on the couch and embraced... but it is somewhat childlike and sweet that they both sold their valuables in order to make the others' Christmas special. 

O'Henry is the pen name of William Sydney Porter. He wrote 381 short stories whilst living in New York City. 381 worthy short stories. Oh... Henry. 

If you'd like to listen to "A Gift of the Magi"...