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Burly Man Starts Crying When Daughter Gives Him Hand Sewn Mittens for Gift

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Have you ever lost someone very close to your heart? Close your eyes for just a moment, and try to picture that person in your memory.

What comes to mind? Maybe the first thing that presents itself is an image of their face, or their hands, or their eyes.

Maybe it’s a treasured recollection — like being woken up early in the morning for school, or enjoying a syrupy stack of Sunday pancakes together.

Perhaps it’s a scent, or a feeling — the smell of a favorite perfume, or the scratchy sensation of an heirloom wool jacket against your cheek.

Scientists often call this “sense memory.” It explains why a cherished song, or the comforting aroma of turkey at Thanksgiving, has the ability to summon nostalgic pictures of treasured past times.

It’s an incredibly potent phenomenon. Many well-known actors have even confessed that they access sense memory to help them prepare for key character moments.



This past Christmas, a Facebook user who goes by the name of Kourtney Irene tapped the power of sense memory to give her father the heartfelt gift of a lifetime.

It even brought this robust, brawny man to tears.

As her Dec. 22 Facebook post explained, she worked for two days straight to create this uniquely personalized present. “I decided to hand sew a pair of mittens and a hat out of my grandfather’s wool sweater that was given to me after he passed away last year,” she said.

A short video snippet shows Kourtney’s dad reading a card, while seated next to a red box that simply says “Believe.” At first, he merely looks intrigued.

But his face begins to subtly change as he begins to absorb the written message.

By the time he puts down the card and picks up the tissue-wrapped items, he’s clearly overwhelmed.

Kourtney’s father speechlessly unwraps the mittens, then the hat. Then he sits for a moment, simply gazing at the familiar old pattern, remembering.

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When he finally slips the mittens onto his burly hands, the first thing he does is use them to wipe away his tears.

“I think the dust is blowing around in the house,” he says endearingly — a stoic excuse that fools no one at all.

“Now he has something to warm his soul,” concludes his daughter’s post affectionately. And what inspiring, poignant proof that some gifts truly do keep on giving.

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Mary Bittel is a professional writer, marketer, and published author. She's produced content for several respected media organizations, and dozens of major industries including education, animal welfare, healthcare, finance, non-profit, technology, and entertainment. As an accomplished musician, she's also worked in a therapeutic teaching capacity with developmentally disabled children.
Mary Bittel is a professional writer, marketer, and published author. She's produced content for several respected media organizations, and dozens of major industries including education, animal welfare, healthcare, finance, non-profit, technology, and entertainment. As an accomplished musician, she's also worked in a therapeutic teaching capacity with developmentally disabled children. Additionally, she's an avid animal lover who has spent much of her life rehabilitating abused rescue canines.
Books Written
"The Hidden Treasury: Stories of Wonders and Wanderings"
Location
Illinois
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Music, Marketing, Nutrition, Fitness, Pet Care/Behavior, Cooking, Entertainment




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