
So here's the deal. Every year my wife and I agree to a loose spending limit on gifts for each other, and every year she exceeds that limit (or at least spends more than I spend on her). I was
determined to not let that happen this year so I bought her a
GPS Navigation system--something far more expensive than our usual gifts. The wrapped present under the fake tree with my name was heavy but too big to be what I really wanted...an iPhone. I watched her open the GPS system with unabashed
cockiness that I'd finally outdone her on our presents to each other. Opening my gift was practically an afterthought. It turns out the big heavy box had another wrapped box inside along with some stuff to make it heavier. Inside that box rested yet another. I was resigned to opening box after box until a small envelope or something when I sat staring at the impossible. She got me the
iPhone. Talk about inner conflict. I was elated to finally have the iPhone and yet crushed that she'd pulled an end-run and beat me yet again.
You may have won the battle, my dear, but the war is not yet finished!