The Brown Paper Bag
My granddaughter, Sarah, who's seven years old, has a habit of bringing me little presents - a
picture she's painted, a craft she's made or small trinkets she's picked out on shopping trips with
her Mom and Dad.  They're received with much pleasure and effusive thanks, as gifts from the
heart always should be, especially gifts from the heart of a child.  One day, a few weeks ago, after
she'd been here for a little while, I went to the computer room to pull up something I'd saved to
show her on the computer and found, sitting on the keyboard, a small brown paper bag - one of
Sarah's surprises.
On the outside of the bag, she'd written four words in bright red crayon:  "Love - Peace - Joy -
God."  Inside the bag, she'd gathered some treasures for me:  2 lollipops, 2 Hershey's Kisses, 2
small pieces of paper containing her artwork (1 heart and 1 rainbow) and a little note: "I love you."
After I'd hugged and thanked her, I asked her how she'd gone about deciding on the 4 words
she'd written on the bag.  "Well," she said, "I wanted it to be a good present, so I tried to think of
really good words.  And those are the best words, don't you think?"
I had to agree that I couldn't think of very many better words.
Today, I send Sarah's gift on to you.  I can't give you lollipops and Hershey's Kisses in a brown
paper bag, but I can give you her words and make them my wishes for each of you.
From Sarah, to me, to you:   Love  ~  Peace  ~  Joy  ~  God.
Be well.    -- Nancy
Most of the photos on this page were taken in Canada's Yoho National Park,
one of four contiguous parks located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.  It's
situated along the western slope of the Continental Divide in British Columbia.
There are, also, a few images from neighboring Banff National Park.
"Yoho" comes from a Cree word, meaning "to express amazement."
Judging from the beautiful scenery displayed in these photos, it's not
hard to imagine why the name Yoho was applied.
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When adults look at a patch of dandelions,
they see weeds trying to take over their lawn.
Children see flowers for Mom and
blowing white fluff you can make a wish on.

When adults feel the wind on their faces,
they try not to let it mess up their hair.
Children close their eyes, spread their arms
and happily run to meet it.

When adults approach a mud puddle,
they see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.
Children see water to splash in,
dams to build and rivers to cross.

I wonder...are we given children to teach
or to learn from?

I wish you, my friends, a lifetime of big mud
puddles and sunny yellow dandelions.
-- Author Unknown
Only children really understand how to give; this is a talent
which all too often eludes us in adulthood.  -- Robert Daughtry
Don't worry about your children never listening to you;
worry that they are always watching you.  -- Robert Fulghum
Tell a friend:
Photo from National Geographic shows a couple - plus a friend - in Banff
National Park.  They set their camera's auto timer and sat down to pose,
when a curious squirrel came to examine the camera just as it snapped the
picture.  I hope they got his address so they could send him a copy.  :-)
...