I pack my children's lunches every day. When my son was in Kindergarten, I also carefully included a note, every single day. I tried to vary them to keep them interesting--a drawing, a sticker, a new word I knew he'd learned to read.
All that creativity was a hard act to keep up first thing in the morning, and as the years went by, I did it less and less. My daughter got notes once in a while, and now, neither of them has received a lunchbox note in a long time.
Well. Yesterday, I happened to be standing next to a Kindergartener who was getting ready for lunch. He had just fetched his lunchbox from his locker, and having a moment to spare, he opened it and pulled out a paper towel. Carefully, with both hands, he smoothed it out, and I then saw that it wasn't just the napkin for his lunch, but something very special.
I love you! oxo, Dad
He saw that I was looking, and he read it to me. Then another friend read it over his shoulder.
The little boy unzipped a side pocket on his lunchbox and pulled out five more paper towels that he had saved from previous days. One by one he smoothed them and read them to us. Every one of them said,
I love you! oxo, Dad
The little boy wasn't interested in creativity and variety. He was interested in his dad's notes. He loved them and saved them, and shared them with pride.
Which was the more beautiful poem: the dad's notes, or the little boy's face as he read them? It's a toss up.
This morning, I wrote both my children notes and put them in their lunches.
I love you! oxo, Mom
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Thank you, that post gave me chills. It truly is the little things that make life meaningful. Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post! I used to put notes in my son's lunchbox everyday and just this year he asked me to stop. He said one of the kids teased him about it and he felt embarrassed. It made me so sad. So now I just hug him a little longer before he goes to school each day and make sure I tell him how much I love him.
ReplyDeleteHi Launa!
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely story. It's true. Little things leave big impressions.
My children didn't take a lunch to school so I didn't write lunchbox notes. But my husband has always traveled and I've placed little notes in his luggage or briefcase for years. He calls me when he discovers them. Recently, I learned he has saved all of those notes. It seems big boys save notes too.
Love, xox, Diane
Ah, you gave me chills too - that is so sweet. I love that this dad took the time and his son values it so clearly.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful Launa. Saying, "I love you," is the best thing any of us ever do.
ReplyDeleteMy heart's kinda stop for 3 sec. I 'll write that too with my girl then.
ReplyDeletebeautiful...........very touching dat dad did took out time and made his son feel so special....very rare....
ReplyDelete