Brown paper bags

Recently, one of my sisters posted a picture of a simple brown paper bag with a smiley face on it. It contained a few simple treats and was given by our younger sister's Sunday School class. It was a very simple and old-fashioned thing to to do. Yet, it also has profound meaning. That simple brown paper bag contained symbols of life lived honestly and grounded. There were oranges in the bag. Fruit of the earth, tangy and juicy. Often sweet, as well, The orange reminds me that life is a mix of flavor and texture, from the juice that refreshes and bites, to the skin that requires work to peel off and reveal the succulence. That same peel adds zest to recipes that nourish friend and family. Then there are a variety of nuts. Some of our best, most reliable and grounded friends are well..a little nutty. We wouldn't trade them for anything. Let's be honest.  We are all somebody's eccentric bud. some of us a hard to get into, but season life with heartiness as we work to know them from the inside. Throw in some candy.The hard things in life tends to work the sweetness in us as we learn that experience and adversity take their time to do what God has in mind. Throw it all into a non-descript simple brown paper bag, especially with someone's name on it. Who needs glitter and sparkle?  It's why kids play with the box. The imagination and the heart take over. I took example from Reita's Sunday School class and made a few bags for the team at work. Things are  intense in retail this time of year. Lots of customers, long shifts, and requests that take a bizarre turn. You would have thought that I gave everyone double overtime. It diffused the tension, and brought smiles to great folks that needed to breathe. Simple brown paper bags. Powerful.