Claire Thinking
Brown Bagging It

As I climbed on the scale to assess my latest weight gain or loss I was struck with how ridiculous my weight worries were. I should be on my knees giving thanks that I am lucky enough to even have this as a problem.

Imagine…I'm paying a company to help me stop overeating.

How fortunate I am to have more than enough food on my table. How many people in the world go without eating on a regular basis? I get cranky if I don't eat dinner until late - what if dinner never came?

How many more were added to that roster of hungry people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?

Even with all that on my mind, I still found myself heading out for lunch with my coworkers as I do almost every day, Monday through Friday. Spending the last of the week's "lunch money" on a sandwich big enough for two people, I began to feel a bit ashamed. Here I was, again, with too much when others were going hungry.

I decided right then that I was going to donate my weekly lunch money to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

I could eat another bowl of cereal for lunch instead of getting carryout salad. I could pack chicken and veggies from supper the night before instead of buying that sub sandwich. I could eat a can of soup instead of drive-thru chili.

Resolved to keep my pledge, I found myself at the grocery store, stocking up on lunch items. Soups, fruit, carrot sticks, and salad fixings. I also bought dinner items with the though of having leftovers to pack. I might have gone a bit overboard with stocking up, but then I won't have to go to the store again any time soon.

Today I made my donation online at the American Red Cross site. It was fast and easy and I didn't have any trouble accessing the site. I have to say it felt pretty good to know that I'm helping in some small way.

I also packed my lunch today: an apple, a can of black-eye pea soup, and some yogurt. I don't have a fancy lunchbox anymore - not since fourth grade - so I did the next best thing.

I used a gift bag. It's pretty blue, it is sturdier and holds more than your standard lunch bag, and it has handles. It was like my lunch was a birthday present - you've got to love that!

From now on, I'm brown - make that blue - bagging it. Let me know if you are willing to dust off your Wonder Woman lunchbox or grab a gift bag of your own and join me.

We can make a difference, one leftover meatloaf sandwich at a time.

Claire