ODE TO BOXES
Dedicated to True Lovers
Box. See it. Say it.
Emotion like angina spreads through one’s chest region. Breathing quickens. Fingers long to touch. Ideas spring like popping corn in one’s brain. Perfection in a 16-inch cube, solid and sturdy, flaps open.
It beckons one.
Only eight inches tall, but sixteen inches long and twelve inches wide, Amazon smiles from Box’s sides. The silver Apple promises rock solid sturdiness with its pure white walls. The sheer exotic nature of the lowly tray Box arrives in a myriad of sizes. Oh, how love blooms on seeing the beauty of a designer tissue cube. Gift boxes galore, tops inverted with bottoms tucked snuggly in them, delightfully nested one inside another. Dollar Tree shelves lined with whimsical boxes to delight anyone.
Stores abound with Boxes recreated in wicker, wood, felt, fabric, plastic and more — but they cannot compete with the creative opportunities one is challenged by when one meets an honest-to-goodness Cardboard Box.
To honor such a magnificent creation, one must love a Box.
Observe it, handle it, consider its innate desire to continue to serve, in any capacity. Box wants to be a part of one’s life. Like a summer fair Carney, Box calls out, “I can be so useful to you,” with a come-hither twinkle in its eye. “I can contain anything, everything! Allow me to remain with you.
I will prove my value. You won’t be disappointed. I promise.”
Boxes — sequestered under the bed, stacked in the basement, hidden in a closet, or gathered on bookcase shelves. One can never have too many Boxes.
In their desire to remain in one’s proximity, Boxes graciously submit to treatments that enhance their beauty, value and usefulness. Boxes are willing one to get creative, willing one to think, to be, to do, to use.
Consider the tissue cube Box.
It says to one — “Enhance Me! Pretty duct tape carefully applied will make me sturdy, strong, lovely, and useful.” How they longingly beg, like a cat wanting to be petted. “Snip into my corners. tack the newly created tabs to the inside. Fill me with compatible t.p. tubes and I will hold your pens and pencils, implements and tools, brushes and so much more! Clustered together on a shelf or tabletop, we will make your life much easier with our lovely organization.”
A sixteen-inch cube Box calls to be covered with an old patterned tee-shirt or fabric, then enhanced with glued-on row upon twining row of your favorite jute or clothesline rope. “I will hold your treasures out of sight, with my added strength and look fabulous doing it.”
“Just slip me on a bookcase shelf and watch me function!”
Tray box declares, “My friend, try adhesive Contact Paper; it covers me easily and makes me into a sweet device for use in many areas where organization and containment are desired.”
A Plain Brown Box or a patterned one, will respond well to frequent handling and movement when it has been carefully dressed in clear packaging tape, or a lively patterned duct tape, around and around — or under and over.
Box is submissive to your desires.
Long, narrow jigsaw puzzles arrive in long, narrow boxes. When coated with Mod-Podge then enhanced with carefully measured and cut wrapping paper, and once again coated to create a firm and shiny pretty container, one will find a home for knitting needles. Be sure — Box will remind you — to create a tab on the bottom for holding while removing the top.
The tab will save you a suction-created box-battle.
Box promises to live with one a long, long time if it has the reinforcement to do so. It even offers to accept paint, or to be stacked in a corner neatly.
Box implores one to be merciful.
Box has a heart that is patient, it promises to wait without moving. Box even begs one to remember it, to retrieve it, to reuse it, even recycle Dear Box, if that fate must be undertaken.
BIG BUT: Box left unprotected will become like the Wicked Witch of the West — screaming silently as it melts into any puddle of liquid. Water, oil, and their ilk are toxic to the integrity of the magnificent Box. Beware.
All enhancements will be cast aside, left as an empty shell, a reminder that one had been negligent of the faithful Box. Tsk. Tsk.
In Box’s voice, I say to you, “Feel the love, know the comfort, enjoy the fellowship! Humans would not be able to survive in today’s world without Boxes.”
Boxes shout, “We are SO MUCH MORE than recyclable!”
Embrace Cardboard!
A personal shout out to Suzanna Quintana for her joy filled encouragement to me to write and publish on Medium!! Thanks, my friend!
