Boxes

Boxes

My house is full of boxes, because to me, a box holds mystery, joy and magic. The lifting of a lid is a moment to cherish. Sometimes it’s the small delight of a Frango Mint at Christmastime. Other times it’s accompanied by cake and open-mouthed smiles singing “Happy Birthday.” Some boxes play music. Others boast hand-painted designs.

A box can protect a family history, like the wooden box full of grandma’s treasures.

Sometimes a box holds a yesterday; like the glittering box that cradles my daughter’s baby teeth.

A box can hold tomorrow; like the small velvet box that my love gave to me the night he proposed.

A box can hold forever; like the simple box that wraps a child’s first Bible.

Our life is full of boxes. We need places to hold the precious things in our lives. Places to keep them, protect them, and frame the images that flood in when we dust them off in the quiet moments of life and remember, cherish, and hope.

Quiet the moment, and open a box.

By Mindy Hirst