Long Overlooked
It had been years since they saw the box. It had gone with them everywhere and had been overlooked countless times.
But now, there was no doubt it was finally time to see what was inside. As the contents came to light, their eyes went wide. This was the last thing they imagined.
Dream Wedding
Kathy Gunn
For Kathy and Brandon Gunn it had been the magical day they had dreamed of – food, family, and amazing wedding memories.
The happy couple watched everyone laugh, drink, and dance the night away. The gift table was also overflowing with touching generosity. But there was one in particular that caught their eye.
Unusual Gift
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The silver-wrapped box had a sealed envelope attached. The only thing written on it gave them very specific instructions NOT to open it until the first argument as husband and wife.
It was so tempting, but they restrained themselves. Eventually, the gift ended up forgotten in their closet.
Under The Surface
Kathy Hocter Gunn
Kathy and Brandon settled into domestic life and had two beautiful children — one boy and one girl. But Kathy began to feel like something was missing from her life.
It slowly became a small point of resentment that would bubble under the surface, insidiously growing in size over the years until it began to seep into her everyday life. The box still waited quietly in the cupboard, forgotten. Until one day.
Unexpected Email
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Years passed and they had their share of arguments. But it seemed pointless to waste the mystery box on a tiff about dirty laundry or dishes.
It wasn’t until an unexpected email appeared in Kathy’s inbox did things take a serious turn for the worse and the need for a lifeline became very real.
Sacrifices
Kathy Hocter Gunn
Kathy felt like she had sacrificed her career, exchanging her workplace ambitions for motherhood. She’d placed her love for her work on the backburner for years in order to raise her children.
She watched her friends and ex-colleagues excel and climb the corporate ladder, but she was stagnating… stuck in place. And once the tiny seed of resentment was planted, all it took was a single email to send her feelings and even her marriage into question.
Dream Job
Kathy Gunn
She had been offered a new position. It was the closest thing to a dream job and with a salary to match.
But there were two major obstacles. First, it was on the other side of the country. Second, Brandon wanted to stay where they were. From there, things exploded.
New Low
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It was the worst low of their relationship. One wanted to stay, the other wanted to go – which sparked countless other disagreements.
Nights turned to sleeping apart and crying when they tried to talk it out. Both felt not only lost but also like the other person didn’t care. Suddenly, Brandon’s ex came into the picture again.
On The Line
Kathy Hocter Gunn
Kathy had no idea who the gift was from — apart from the instructions that forbade them from opening it right away, it was unmarked. And after three moves and almost ten years, it still sat in the cupboard, collecting cobwebs.
But with their marriage feeling like it was really on the line, the gift was about to come to the front of Brandon’s mind again. Little did Kathy know, it had something to do with his ex.
From The Ex
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One day, Kathy spotted the old wedding gift on the table, and her husband staring at the opened envelope.
His eyes were red and puffy from crying. She scanned the generic greeting card sentiment … and at the name underneath. It was from Brandon’s ex – who obviously hadn’t been invited to the wedding.
Symbol Of Stubbornness
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Over the years, the gift had become a symbol of their stubbornness to make their marriage work.
Now, seeing the ex’s name … it felt like a final stab of defeat. But what did the instructions mean? Was it a last-ditch attempt to get Brandon back? Was it to gloat about their pain? And what was inside?
Two Parts
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There was nothing left to lose. Kathy took one end, Brandon took the other, and they tore back the silver wrapping.
The next layer contained two gifts wrapped in pastel yellow tissue paper. There were also two smaller notes – one for each of them. Kathy’s heart raced with dread.
Emotional Note
Kathy Gunn
The first box revealed a cheap raspberry scented bath kit – like something anyone could get at a pharmacy or discount bin.
It wasn’t only offensive, but confusing. The truth didn’t fall into place until they read the first note. The words flowed from Brandon’s lips and he quickly broke down.
Simple Instructions
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The second part contained a small vase and two wine glasses.
Kathy’s note included $20 worth of cash. The words within brought them to another level of tears. It was the last thing anyone would expect from someone’s ex. It wasn’t malice or rejoicing in their marital pain. It was advice.
Afraid Of Change
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Brandon’s long letter reminded him that he was scared of change. It had been one of the main downfalls of the last relationship.
“You’re wonderful together. Life can be hard. Don’t let the little (or big) things ruin that.” The rest were specific instructions for how to reconcile.
Three C’s
Kathy Gunn
Brandon was to use the bubble kit to run Kathy a warm bath and put a gift of flowers in the vase.
The money was to buy a pizza and watch a movie while they drank wine from the new glasses. Around the entire gesture was the wise reminder of communication, compromise, and support. They stared at each other.
Let’s Sell
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Never in a million years would anyone think an ex would be someone to try and save the next marriage.
But there it was, simple yet profound words that reminded them of things they had lost sight of. “Let’s sell the house,” Brandon said, opening the bath kit. Kathy stared at him, dumbfounded.
Unexpected Savior
Kathy Gunn
After a long talk over red wine and a 12-inch pepperoni, and plenty more tears, they came to a final decision.
Brandon could work from anywhere, and Kathy’s new job would be great for them. Who knew that after ten long years of collecting dust, one little box would save their entire marriage. Kathy knew she had to share her story with others who may be facing similar problems.
Sharing Her Story
Kathy Hocter Gunn
“For nine years – and three moves – that box sat high on a shelf in various closets gathering dust,” Kathy wrote in a Facebook post after opening the wedding present.
“Yet it somehow taught us about tolerance, understanding, compromise, and patience.” Then, Kathy shared the surprising realization that the gift had brought to light.
Revelation
Kathy Hocter Gunn
“Our marriage strengthened as we became best friends, partners, and teammates,” Kathy added.
“Today, we decided to open that box, because I finally had a realization. I realized that the tools for creating and maintaining a strong, healthy marriage were never within that box – they were within us.” And it wasn’t long before her Facebook post exploded.
Going Viral
Kathy Hocter Gunn
And, just three months after Kathy wrote the Facebook post, the couple’s story took an interesting turn. You see, the hugely popular inspirational site Love What Matters picked up on the tale and shared it with their followers on social media.
From there, the story went completely viral, catapulting Brandon, Kathy, and the wedding present, into the spotlight.
Online Sensation
Kathy Hocter Gunn
The Love What Matters post has garnered over 20,000 likes and over 4,000 shares on Facebook to date. And from there, Kathy’s original post on her personal Facebook feed also took off!
And the family is still receiving feedback to this day… and they are mostly positive. Some of the comments even touched Kathy’s heart…
Inspired By The Story
Kathy Hocter Gunn
People from all walks of life and from all over the world were incredibly touched and inspired by the tale of the wedding present, and by Brandon and Kathy’s extraordinary display of patience.
“I think [the gift] worked just the way it was intended to,” wrote one Facebook user. “You didn’t open it at your ‘first disagreement’ but left it on the shelf where you had to see it every time you opened that closet.”
Silent Reminder
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“It was a silent reminder to you both and probably in some ways acted as a set of brakes when you did disagree about something,” the user added.
“Keeping the anger level to a slow burn instead of a volcano.” Other netizens could not stop gushing over the gift itself and the thought that Brandon’s ex had put into it.
Reflection
Kathy Hocter Gunn
Meanwhile, Kathy had also taken some time to reflect even more on the importance of the wedding present from Brandon’s ex. “I felt if we haven’t opened [the box] yet, we’ve got everything we need to make this thing work,” Kathy told ABC News.
“When you’re young and learning to be married and compromise and all of that, we often thought the contents of the box would reunite us.”