Sunday, April 19, 2015

Packaging

Awhile back, I was in charge of getting the drinks for Lindley's "Frozen" birthday party. The Pinterest page that we were (sorta) following listed various drink mixes. I promptly went to the store and grabbed this container of Kool-Aid mix.  It was the exact color of blue to match Elsa's (and Lindley's) dress. Perfect, right?

Whoa Nellie - or Anna and Elsa. When I began to squirt the liquid into the pitcher of water, guess what color came out? Red!  I probably should have read that this container was full of Fruit Punch, which of course would be red. And I probably should have noticed the cherry on the front, which was again, red. But no, I saw blue and grabbed it. The first impression of the packaging had nothing to do with what was inside.

And so it is with people. I regularly read a few blogs written by women and their weight-loss journeys. All are experiencing varying degrees of success. But lately they have been exploring the idea of first finding satisfaction with who they really are inside before tackling the weight issues. Because they know they have to have a contentment within before all else.

I've been skinny and fat and everything in between. And I've noticed and experienced how people meet and treat people of varying sizes. People who are fit and pretty have more people initiate conversation than those who are not. People are preliminarily judged by what's on the outside without delving a little deeper to see what's on the inside. And most of the time, the inside is the best part.

We didn't use the Tropical Punch mix at the party. But since then, I've used it quite often. And I've enjoyed it and its red color. And maybe I'll remember this the next time I encounter someone who's out of shape or skinny or dirty or talking to himself or asking for a handout. Because there's always more than what I'm seeing on the outside. I just need to stop and take the time to find it out.
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Today is a gift because: Steve's safe travel home from GDizzle's; Marilyn and friends' safe travels back to their respective homes; lovely afternoon nap

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