Why Wendy Gave Peter a Thimble (and Why I Give Them to TK)

I’ve always been enchanted by Peter Pan. The flying, the adventure, the ticking crocodile—but most of all, Wendy’s thimble. For those who don’t remember, Wendy gives Peter a thimble as a symbol of a kiss. Sweet, right? Except, let’s be real here: why on earth a thimble? Out of all the things to give someone—a flower, a note, maybe a friendly high-five—she hands him sewing equipment. Classic early 1900s move.

Despite the odd choice, the thimble always stayed with me. It was quirky, practical (I guess?), and meaningful in its own way. And over the years, I’ve carried on the tradition—except my Peter Pan isn’t some perpetually lost boy chasing shadows. No, my Peter Pan is TK, a man who knows exactly what he wants. Spoiler alert: he wanted me, and unlike Peter, he didn’t need a flying pixie or a pirate duel to figure it out.

Now, let’s talk about these thimbles I’ve been giving TK. They’re not just random gifts; they’re my way of saying, “Hey, I see you, I love you, and also, here’s something completely impractical you’ll never use.” The first time I handed him one, he looked at it, then at me, and said, “Am I supposed to sew something?” That’s when I knew I’d married a man with Peter Pan’s curiosity but none of his confusion about commitment.

Over the years, the thimble has become an inside joke for us. TK will find one in his pocket before a big meeting or on his plate at breakfast. One year, I tied a thimble to a Christmas ornament, and the man looked at me with the kind of love that says, “You’re absolutely ridiculous, but I’m here for it.” Because that’s TK—he doesn’t just tolerate my quirks; he cherishes them.

And let’s not forget, TK is no Peter Pan when it comes to love. Peter couldn’t commit to a goodnight kiss without running off to Neverland. TK? He walked down the aisle and said, “I do” like a man who’d just found his treasure chest. Sure, he might tease me for still loving a story about a flying boy in green tights, but he knows that deep down, it’s not about Peter or Wendy—it’s about the idea that love can be found in the smallest, most unexpected things.

So, why do I keep giving TK thimbles? Because life is too short to take love too seriously. It’s about laughter, the little symbols, and the moments that make your partner go, “Only you would think of this.” And if a thimble can be a kiss in Neverland, then it can also be a reminder here on Earth that love doesn’t have to make sense—it just has to make you smile.

And let’s be honest, folks: if Wendy had known TK, she would’ve skipped Peter altogether and handed that thimble right over to him. But sorry, Wendy, TK’s mine—and he’s got the thimble collection to prove it.