Napkins

Herself spent much of yesterday tidying and weeding the kitchen cabinets -- a task long overdue. She got rid of all sorts of things, and reorganized what was left.  Everything's neater. She's quite pleased with the results.

While taking care of the cabinet over the microwave, she came across a plastic container with a wide variety of colorful napkins.  That was an unexpectedly bittersweet find.

In days of yore when the Offspring were in grade school, Herself packed their lunchboxes every day. She would go to the local party supply store to see which napkins were on sale, and bring home a dozen different kinds.  In the leftover treasure trove above the microwave were ninja turtles, tie-dye, power rangers, Tweety Bird, flowers, holiday themes (Halloween napkins were particularly plentiful), and, of course, Harry Potter -- just a smattering of the napkins collected over the years. She would select a napkin specifically in keeping with the current interests of each of the Offspring for lunch every day.  It was always an enjoyment for her.

How did the Offspring grow up so quickly?  Herself is happy for them, knowing the world is wide open and full of possibility for them.  Her heart clenches just a bit, though, knowing her days of brightening a youngster's school meal with a special napkin are long gone.