Tonight I came home from a long day of work and was greeted with smiles and tugs by my three beautiful sons, 5 yrs and 1 yr old twins. Amazing. But the babies needed to be fed and bathed and homework done and stories read as with every night, and with a rush they were in bed with bottles, tickles and a kiss.
And I sat down and ate and watched a little TV before more chores, washing, dishes, toys away. And my last task when all was quiet and everyone in bed, was Ben’s (my oldest) school lunch. His lunch box has compartments and last night I filled each with things he might like. And so I re-opened the compartments and found the empty plastic bag from the sandwich I made him, and the orange skins from the orange I packed, and the museli bar wrapper, and – untouched, the raisin and nut mix he never really liked.
And I thought of my little boy at school today, laughing with his friends and not knowing or caring who packed his lunch, or how it was put together with love and thought for what he might like and what was good for him, and smiled. A simple used lunchbox. But a sign of a wonderful new life, growing and learning. My boy. And again, I emptied the box and put new things in each compartment, tonight a little licorice for a surprise. And I know he won’t say thank you, not because he is ungrateful but because he is five, and forgetful, and lunch is lunch.
But I will know when the lunchbox is opened tomorrow night and the licorice and the mandarin and the museli bar are gone that I did something little that made my little boy smile that day…