The lunch bell would ring, and I would race to meet my friends behind the statue in the quad. But as everyone else hugged hello (as if we hadn't seen each other in YEARS and not just a period or two ago) and started to tease and laugh and flirt, I would take a moment apart from the crowd to open my brown paper bag, excited at what I'd find within.
My dad packed my lunch each morning, so I knew I'd find the usual fare... lunchmeat + cheese sandwich cut diagonally, some pringles and maybe some oreos (ummm, yeah... the concept of a healthy diet wasn't exactly a hot topic in our household). But my FAVORITE discovery was always the daily napkin note I knew would be there.
Not an emotionally demonstrative man, my dad was never short on sharing words of love as long as he could WRITE them down instead.
So each day I received a "love note" of sorts. Written in ALL CAPS in sharpie marker on a puckered white paper napkin.
Sometimes his words would wish me luck on an upcoming test, some days I'd receive an inspirational quote, and other days he simply wrote of how proud he was to be my father. And each day I would get the warm and fuzzies, simply seeing those XOXOXOs signed at the bottom of the paper napkin.
Such a simple gesture, but one that has remained with me always.
And who knew I would become so like him in so many ways. I find it difficult to say the words aloud at times, and I write them down instead. Journals, post-it-notes, notebooks... papers scattered across my home. In my instagram posts. And now, here.
Because we could ALL use a little LOVE NOTE at times. A few words of encouragement, an inspirational quote, or simply something to say I SEE YOU and LOVE YOU no matter what.
So, carrying on the tradition, here's my first of many napkin notes to come.
And what BETTER time to start than on a Monday... when we could ALL use a little pep-talk?!