Today is my nephew’s birthday. Every year since he was born I would buy him a birthday card and mail it to his home in time for him to receive it before or on his birthday. Sometimes when I had a little extra money to spend, I would buy him a small toy or gift and mail that with his birthday card. I never once got a thank you from him, and now that I think of it, he has never sent me a birthday card or a Christmas card.

Now that he is 25 years old today, I think he is old enough to have some basic manners and say thank you for thinking of him. I sent him a card a few days ago with a Starbucks gift card for $25 and I know that he has received it by now. If I don’t hear a thank you from him this week, that will be the last birthday card and last gift he ever gets from me.