A Brown Paper Bag

A Brown Paper Bag

Show and Tell activity? If I’d be asked to bring something for this fun activity, hmmm… let me think of an object that people commonly expend but since it is a small thing, it might be brushed off or perhaps overlooked. I’d prefer to show a brown paper bag.

We all know very well that a brown paper bag has a single opening that holds customer’s purchases from the grocery or other shops. All its items should be rightly light, depending on its size. Of course, it is not consumed for purchases that highly demand for strength and durability. It is actually different from the kraft paper which has a high tear resistance.

I’d like to associate, first of all, a brown paper bag with my beloved father who died of a heart attack. When he was still alive, working at the Philippine’s Government Service Insurance System as the boss in the Dividend Section, he would often bring a brown paper bag home. You know why? It was his habit to place a good sum of money inside it. It was his monthly salary! “Divine Providence”, we would always say. It was the source of joy to the family especially to my mother who thankfully received it and considered it as the symbol of my father’s hard work and love. Moreover, the brown paper bag’s fondest memories for us, his five children (Swanie, Danny, Rejay, Noe and I, including our nanny, Ate Coring), were bringing home yummy chocolates like Baby Ruth which was famous that time. In like manner, it would be wrapped or simply inserted in the paper bag. That served as father’s “pasalubong” (take-home food item or a souvenir from an office, from a store, from a holiday or from a business trip). I also vividly remembered that he brought home “pancit guisado” (sautéed noodles), likewise it was attractively put in the paper bag; same story as well with the savoury chicken set inside it. … Aah, sweet memories… how I love to keep them forever!

Reminiscing my childhood still, I used to spend my summer vacation at my parents’ province in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. Furthermore, I used to accompany Lola Regina, my grandmother to go to the store of Lola Maxima, my great grandmother whose suitor during her time was the famous Father of Filipino Language, no other than Manuel L. Quezon. I’m proud to mention that! :)... Looking back, we would hang around at the store till afternoon before praying the Angelus. Angelus was usually done at the strike of 6:00 in the evening and participated by the whole family. Musing over, it was during this time also that we would buy grocery items such as- coffee, sugar, bread, salt, cocoa sometimes and the never-should-be missed Lola Inang’s favourite cigarettes' brand, the Leyvana or just in case there was nothing left on the shelf store, she would choose Alhambra. All the grocery items would be enclosed in that memorable brown paper bag.

Years passed… Now I am already a full-fledged, licensed teacher. I still use the brown paper bag. I love this valuable stuff because of my cherished past and because I am at present a recycling, environmental advocate. In addition, inside the classroom, I made use of this paper bag for my arts lessons, business and party give-aways. Up to now, I like so much to create something out of it. Hmmm, a puppet was just one of my beautiful creations out of it… Really precious to be included in my treasure trove!

Having immigrated in the land of snow and big bears, I experienced this- One cold day in October, I found two paper bags and I placed apples for each. In a little while, I was ready to go. To whom shall I give these two bags? With joy, for people on the streets begging for spare change… I’d like to believe that a paper bag is designed for “giving”. Sincere giving makes me happy.

Bringing this up to the highest sharing level, I’d like to ponder that a brown paper bag represents emptiness. If there’s emptiness, there’s nothingness… And come to think of it, there’s humility. By extension, etymologically humility means “from the earth”, “humus” or soil and therefore grounded, in contrast to pride.

Advancing, from thereon, once a brown paper bag is used purposely, like when I open it, I construct or develop a thing on it, I put something in it…First, I feel humbled down… and there before my eyes, heart and hands- reflectively there’s bounty, plenty of “gifts” to hold dear. That brown paper bag has indeed transformed into an image of blessing.

So the next time you clutch a brown paper bag, please do dwell upon on this idea- that there’s a meaningful form and substance in it which you would carry, not just a shared-glimpse of my life but the significance of a small entity that became a great joy and celestial grace, worthy to be appreciated.

By: Lucy Lombos

November 1, 2015

In loving memory of my late beloved father, Augusto Garcia Enriquez (+)

also of my loving sister, Susan Enriquez-Billedo (+),

of our faithful nanny, Concordia Colcol (+) and of my

grandparents, Nicolas and Regina/ Victor and Concepcion (+)

Who were all God's humble people.