It pleases me to no end when someone presents me with a witty pun or clever play on words.

I recently sent my aunt and uncle a thangka painting I obtained on one of my recent trips to Nepal. Thangkas are detailed artworks, generally painted by monks, and depict either a mandala or a scene from the life of Buddha. They tend to be incredibly intricate, with animals and people often painted with a single hair brush. A small thangka may take months to create. I love the detail of a thangka, as well as the colors, which tend to be deep jewel colors highlighted by gold.

I wasn’t sure if they would like the painting. Picking out art for someone else can be tricky. I know that my aunt and uncle and I are similar in many respects, but would we have the same artistic sense? Would they see the beauty in the piece I had selected?

I received a lovely email from my aunt this morning, with the subject line

“Wow!! Thangka you so much!”

That subject line was her gift to me; I haven’t stopped smiling since.