by Madeline Laughs

Rush Urgent Fragile

I have a friend that has mailed boxes and large envelopes to me for the last 21 years. You never knew what would be in them.

The first box I received was hand delivered by her. We used to live in the same city. I found it sitting in front of my apartment door when I arrived home one afternoon. It wasn’t a box at all, but a picnic basket. I remember being delighted to open it and see what treasures she had shared with me.

The Carolina

The basket, like every box and envelope since, contained items that made her think of me. There are always notes, maybe a copied photograph, confetti hidden away in a folded piece of tissue. Lovely, thoughtful items. Sometimes they were unusual, sometimes just plain fun and sometimes they were an expansion she wanted me to experience. No matter what the box contained, it was a delightful way to spend part of my life. 

Once I received one of her boxes and in it was every kind of chopstick imaginable and a Chinese takeout container. The container was filled with small folded fortunes that she hand wrote herself. I spent a month pulling them out and reading them, one at a time.

I never asked her if I was the only lucky recipient of this luscious love, but over the years I have discovered that mutual friends will speak of some wonderful treasure they now possess from her. So I know this practice is something she bestows upon us all.

My favorite is a published book of her poetry.

Throughout our friendship I moved quite a bit, so it was necessary for her to call me occasionally for my new address. She would always end these conversations telling me “I have something you might need.” Then I would wait in childlike anticipation for whatever she was busy packing up to send me.

I never asked her why she does this, but I have always wondered why. I marveled at some of these packages and appreciated them for the thought and the care and the personal time that went into each one. They are all special.

About 12 years ago I decided to adopt her practice and started sending out my own boxes of love. I won’t tell you how or why…but I now know why she does it. It’s the reason I do it too.

May your days be filled with unexpected surprises and the knowledge that no matter what else happens in this life, you are never alone out there. I hope the next box you open will fill you with laughter and make you remember how special you are to us all.

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