
A photographer’s regret over rejecting her father’s gift turns into a miraculous reunion with the same Hermès scarf 20 years later, sent from beyond the grave.
At a Glance
- Martha’s Vineyard photographer L.A. Brown declined her father’s offer to buy her a Hermès scarf in 1992 as part of a family tradition
- After her father died from leukemia four years later, Brown deeply regretted turning down the gesture
- Twenty years later, while in London with her husband, Brown considered buying a Hermès scarf to honor her father
- Upon returning home, she received a package containing the exact same Hermès scarf her father had purchased for her grandmother two decades earlier
- The extraordinary timing of receiving her father’s gift after 20 years is featured in “The Godwink Effect” book as a divine connection
When Tradition Meets Artistic Identity
In 1992, during a trip to London with her father Phil Brown, L.A. Brown found herself facing an unusual conflict between family tradition and personal identity. Her father approached her with a meaningful gesture, one that had significance beyond the material item itself. “It’s time I bought you something I’ve given every woman in our family,” Phil told his daughter as they stood in London. When he clarified, “A Hermès scarf,” L.A.’s artistic sensibilities kicked in. Despite the prestige associated with the luxury French brand, the 30-year-old photographer couldn’t see herself wearing such a formal accessory.
“Dad, I’m so appreciative. But, you know me — I’m an artist. I just wouldn’t wear a costly Hermès scarf.”
Her father accepted her decision with grace, but neither could have predicted how this moment would echo through the decades to come. For those unfamiliar with Hermès, this isn’t just any fashion brand. Founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès as a harness shop in Paris, the company has evolved into a symbol of luxury craftsmanship, where each item is meticulously handcrafted by artisans who sign their work. Their scarves, like all their products, represent not mass production but a commitment to quality that transcends trends.
The Weight of Regret
Life took a devastating turn for L.A. Brown when her father was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away just four years after their London trip. Suddenly, that declined Hermès scarf transformed from a simple accessory into a profound symbol of missed connection. The regret settled heavily on Brown’s heart. In her grief, she dedicated herself to honoring her father’s memory the best way she knew how – by pursuing excellence in photography, fulfilling the dream he had for her artistic career.
As years passed, Brown established herself as a respected photographer in Martha’s Vineyard, building a life and career that would have made her father proud. Yet the memory of that London moment lingered, a small but persistent reminder of a conversation she wished she could revisit. For two decades, the Hermès scarf existed only as a bittersweet memory, a reminder of her father’s generosity and their shared time together that could never be recaptured.
An Unexpected Return
Twenty years after declining her father’s gift, L.A. Brown found herself back in London, this time with her husband. The memory of that day with her father resurfaced, and she shared the story with her spouse. In a touching gesture, he offered to buy her a Hermès scarf – finally fulfilling her father’s wish decades later. Brown considered it, feeling that perhaps the time had finally come to embrace this family tradition. The couple visited the Hermès store, but ultimately left without making a purchase.
“I can’t work like that. I’ve always heard that Hermès is very costly. It’s not expensive. It’s costly.”
Upon returning home to Martha’s Vineyard, something extraordinary happened. Brown received a package from her aunt – inside was a Hermès scarf, the very same one her father had purchased decades earlier, not for her, but for her grandmother. Somehow, this family heirloom had made its way back to L.A. at precisely the moment when she had reopened her heart to receiving it. The timing was so remarkable that it felt like more than coincidence – it was as if her father had orchestrated this reunion from beyond.
A “Godwink” Across Time
This extraordinary story of the long-delayed gift caught the attention of authors SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, who included it in their book “The Godwink Effect.” They use the term “Godwink” to describe what others might call meaningful coincidences – those moments that seem too perfectly timed to be random chance. For L.A. Brown, receiving her father’s gift twenty years after declining it represented not just a connection to family tradition, but a profound message that love transcends time and even death.
In an age where instant gratification is the norm, the story of L.A. Brown and her Hermès scarf reminds us that some gifts arrive exactly when they’re meant to, not when we expect them. The scarf, once rejected as incompatible with her artistic identity, became the perfect symbol of her enduring connection to her father – a tangible reminder that some bonds can never be broken, even by death or the passage of decades. For Brown, what began as regret transformed into a remarkable story of love’s persistence across time.