Kathy Gunn and her husband did something different from most newlyweds. They kept the sealed gift they had received from their grandmother for nine years. The old dusty box ultimately saved their marriage.
Kathy and Brandon refrained from opening the gift for one specific reason: a note on the card said, “Do not open until your first disagreement.”
Somehow, these simple words provided support to the couple. They didn’t take every new dispute too seriously and didn’t feel the need to open the box.
However, nine years later, the couple had to endure their biggest fight. Brendon even left the house to give Kathy some time alone. It was at this moment that Kathy opened the gift.
Inside the box were two envelopes, each addressed to Kathy and Brandon, respectively. There was also a small sum of money with an explanatory note. Kathy’s letter contained advice: use the money to buy delicious food, take a calming bath, and wait for your husband.
Brandon, on the other hand, was advised by his grandmother to spend the money on a nice little gift, a night in a hotel (so that his wife could have some time to calm down), and flowers.
“Sure, from the outside, it may seem naive, but the simple advice truly helped us. Sometimes, it takes so little to see the world differently,” Kathy later said.
Both Kathy and Brandon came to the conclusion that their grandmother, married for half a century, understood the true essence of her gift.
