Love in a Paper Bag

It was Molly’s job to hand her father his brown paper lunch bag each morning before he headed off to work.
One morning, in addition to his usual lunch bag, Molly handed him a second paper bag.

This one was worn and held together with staples, and paper clips.
“Why two bags? her father asked.
“The other is something else, Molly answered.

“What’s in it?
“Just some stuff. Take it with you.
Not wanting to discuss the matter, he stuffed both sacks into his briefcase, kissed Molly and rushed off.
At midday he opened Molly’s bag and took out the contents:
two hair ribbons, three small stones, a plastic dinosaur, a tiny sea shell, a small doll, and 13 pennies...
The busy father smiled, finished eating, and swept the desk clean into the wastebasket, Molly’s stuff included.
That evening, Molly ran up behind him as he read the paper.
“Where’s my bag?
“What bag?
“The one I gave you this morning.
“I left it at the office. Why?
“I forgot to put this note in it, she said.
“And, besides, Daddy, the things in the sack are the things I really like — I thought you might like to play with them.
You didn’t lose the bag, did you, Daddy?
“Oh, no, he said, lying. “I just forgot to bring it home. I’ll bring it tomorrow.
While Molly hugged her father’s neck, he unfolded the note that read: “I love you, Daddy.
Molly had given him her treasures — all that a 7-year-old held dear.
Love in a paper bag, and he missed it — not only missed it, but had thrown it in the wastebasket.
So back he went to the office. Just ahead of the night janitor, he picked up the wastebasket.
He put the treasures inside and carried it home gingerly.
The bag didn’t look so good, but the stuff was all there and that’s what counted.
After dinner, he asked Molly to tell him about the stuff in the sack.
It took a long time to tell. Everything had a story or a memory.
“Sometimes I think of all the marvelous times in this sweet life, he mused.
We should all remember that it’s not the destination that counts in life, but the JOURNEY.
That journey with the people we love is all that really matters.
It is such a simple truth but it is so easily forgotten.