A simple gift it was, I pondered, standing on my porch. That bitter cold evening was indifferent to the day's contents, riddled with birthday wishes and fond memories aroused by reminiscing friends. Reviewing the day's tally of “happy birthday” and holding on to the feeling of being loved and seen, my phone begins to vibrate. The screen illuminates with a call from my long-distance, local friend. We live physically close to each other, a quick fifteen-minute drive, but our lives could not be separated more. Different schools, different friends, different towns, the difference fifteen minutes can make. A local friend that could live across the country, and it wouldn't make a difference. Despite our lives rarely intertwining, the moments we share are beyond meaningful. The time that we spend together is so significant that it equates to seeing each other every day. A friendship that is so in sync it can only be handled in doses, for our minds will become scarily alike. A friend you can click with no matter the time in between. A forever bond of understanding and comfort is invaluable. As I pick up the phone, she says to walk outside. I hurriedly sprint to the door, filled with excitement and suspense. I am hit with a ping of disappointment, for the surprise was not her presence. I looked around, hoping to see her but instead stumble upon a box. A sour patch-themed gingerbread house. Classic. For an unsuspecting audience, this might seem like a tasty present, which it was, but the meaning behind it was what overwhelmed me with gratitude. The previous fall, we had begun embarking on our friendship, one that was built upon our love for sour patch kids. This candy coincidentally was our favorite food, one that we would become obsessed with throughout the next few months until our sugar-eroded teeth pleaded for a break. This similarity bonded us and allowed for such a supportive and spectacular friendship to evolve. The sour patch gingerbread house represented our friendship. This prepackaged gingerbread house was more meaningful than any other gift because a gift-giver should not be motivated by its materialistic ranking but by the joy and meaning it brings to the receiver. This act of kindness still makes me smile.