Boxes From Home

Yesterday, several great things happened to me, and two of them had a particularly lovely connection. I went to the post office, because I was expecting a package. When I opened my mailbox, therein lay not one but TWO package notices. One was what I had expected, but the other was an absolutely pleasant surprise--a box full of Valentine's Day goodies. Homemade biscotti, thoughtful cards, a homemade heart garland, chocolates, a present for my roomie, and my favorite chocolate covered fortune cookies. As I removed layer after layer of tissue paper, I found myself even more lost among the overwhelming care that my parents and grandmother showed me. Little things like that make a person's day, and affirm your love for her. So now, my door and walls are decorated with hearts, and I have a Linus card to go along with my collection on my bookshelf. I can share biscotti and fortune cookies with my friends, and my roomie has a nice little bouquet of chocolate on her desk. All around me, I see the love that my family has for me, which can sometimes be put into the back of my mind, since I am away at school, and not in the walls of my childhood home. I think it's important to remind your loved ones of that love, and I think it's something I need to work on.

After I opened the box, I received an email from my ear-training teacher, informing me that she posted several songs online for our enjoyment and practice. One of them was, "Letter from Home," a lovely Copland piece. As I listened, I yet again got swept away with the feeling of being cared for. This song was like a box of chocolates and a homemade heart garland. It was the cards my mom has continually sent to me throughout the year, the ones she has been saving in her card box for years, and that I have kept away in my desk. It was the prayer shawl my mom secretly knit for me and hid under my desk for me to find after my parents dropped me off this semester. If you are away from home, listen to this song and remember the little things that your loved ones do that make you know you're cared for. It will make your day. And if you feel moved enough to create that special cared-for feeling for another person, please, don't hesitate. It will be special and appreciated, more than you think.

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I'm trying to decide if I want to be one of those "cool" bloggers, you know, the ones who have insightful posts, always interesting thoughts that people want to read.

But, since this blog is me, my thoughts are definitely not always interesting. I bore my friends with long rants about the most recent African history lecture and strange connections to chemistry or a Peanuts comic. So, you get to read those, mixed in with what I consider insightful ideas. Go forth pruning.