Alright, so I'm no writer and even if I was, I doubt I'll be able to put into words just how meaningful the gift that I got is to me, but I'll try.

The first I heard from my match was when I was sent a small message that the gift has just been sent (a little past the deadline) because it was tough finding an appropriate box.

Wait... Huh?

He goes on to say that what he's sending me is very important to him since he's had it since childhood and is sad to see it go, and hopes I'll make better use of it...

...

So my mind starts going crazy. What could this person be sending me all the way over the atlantic ocean?

Obviously it took a while. I was already rolling up my sleeves because I knew that whatever it was, I'll be getting a letter from customs. (In this shitty backwards country I live in, this is almost standard practice for anything other than a letter)

I swiftly dealt with customs, and a couple of days later the package arrives.

Big box. And as I started opening it (it was more of an ambush on the poor box that was already battered and torn from the trip over) I was stunned... speechless... bamboozled... overwhelmed...

It was a guitar... But not just any guitar. A mini electric guitar. Used. For me, used makes it more than just a piece of fancy wood. Somebody played this guitar. It has a history. It SANG MUSIC. For me, just holding it and wondering who else held it... What were THEY thinking about? What dreams did they have? What has this guitar SEEN???

Of course if that wasn't enough, there was a mini-mini guitar! It came in an inconspicuous dark box that was also anything but new. As I opened it up and there was this beautiful mini guitar that was in just perfect condition!

To top it all off I notice a piece of paper. I thought "oh a nice little note explaining a little more about this guitar and its history".

NOPE.

"Never stop the music"

That was when I started tearing up. Music is a big part of my life. I work as a sound engineer/producer/dj professionally. For me, life without music is empty and meaningless. How MUCH and how far BACK into my childhood this stems cannot be written here, but suffice it to say I've NEVER been without music in one form or another.

What this means is that this gift is more than just a gift. This is a reminder of why I do what I do.

I still haven't decided exactly what to do now. Whether or not it will be fully restored, I don't know yet. What I know for sure, is that it's going up on my wall, along with that piece of paper, so that it can remind me of what's important.

That, I can guarantee.