Lunch Box Love Notes

For as long as I can remember, my mother tucked hand written notes into my school lunches.  Her stick figure people with heart shaped heads and childlike flowers reminded me of her affection.  As I grew older, she continued this labor of love, and her simple notes began to carry powerful messages of encouragement.  On some days (during the horrific middle/high school era of female pettiness) my mother’s special lunch notes served as the glue that single-handedly held me together.

I started tucking little love notes into Lucia’s lunch box this summer when she enjoyed two full weeks of summer camp.  She arrived to me daily upon dismissal with her humongous backpack strapped to her tiny frame, and a love note clutched in hand.   “Mama look!” she often said, “look what I got in my lunch box today!”.  She so appreciated her little notes.  She told me that she was going to save them forever.

I have been working on filling a little jar to dip into on school mornings.  A jar comprised of messages wrapped up in mama love for my soon to be Kindergartner.  A jar that I am currently filling with color, hope, and sparkles – reflecting the joy that she is.

Mermaid and Mushroom drawn by Dada.  Obviously.