Meaningful Reflections: Blessing Box
Meaningful Reflections with Chaplain Kim Crawford Meeks is a monthly column that provides words of encouragement for associates at USA Health.
By Kim Crawford Meeks
Spiritual Care Manager
The definition of the word “box” is simply that it is a container with a flat base and sides. When we add a word before “box,” then it changes everything.
For example, a treasure box is full of gold and jewels. A music box plays a special song and perhaps has a ballerina that pops up and dances as you open the lid. A toolbox carries the tools our grandpas need to fix everything – because they really can fix everything!
A shoebox contains a pair of clean, white sneakers because you just made the varsity basketball team, or it could be a pair of sparkly high heels for your first dance.
A small black box pulled from a jacket pocket contains a diamond ring to ask an important little question, “Will you marry me?” Of course, boxes wrapped in shiny paper with ribbons are gifts for birthdays and holidays all throughout the year.
When you think about it, you realize the word “box” isn’t simple at all, and it’s so much more than a base and sides.
There is a type of box that I would like for us to consider. This box is all of the previously mentioned boxes combined together and much more. We shall call it a Blessing Box. As you experience blessings throughout the year, you place them in the Blessing Box.
The Blessing Box includes challenges and struggles, accomplishments and successes, the funny and silly things you do, quotes, verses, a special note from a friend, a picture of a cute animal, a seashell from a walk on the beach, or a leaf that has changed colors with the season and has floated to the ground, etc. You may place anything in the box that you choose.
We had a Blessing Box in an office where I worked, and we each made contributions to the box. When one of us was struggling, we would go to the box and pull out something for comfort. At our party each year, we read each entry in the box, and it took three hours or longer to read through all of them. We loved every minute of it!
Perhaps you would like to try a Blessing Box in your office or home. The box can be shared or private, and it may be decorated to fit your own unique personality.
You will find yourself looking for items to place in the box, which helps you to focus on items of comfort, joyful words, cute pictures, etc., rather than on struggles. The box will give you a place to turn when you need a word of encouragement, a laugh or a smile.
Thomas S. Morrison said, “I have found that, rather than dwelling on the negative, if we will take a step back and consider the blessings in our lives, including seemingly small, sometimes overlooked blessings, we can find greater happiness.” So, instead of carrying burdens, may we each collect our blessings and keep them in our very own beautiful boxes of joy.
Learn more about Spiritual Care at USA Health. Patients, family members and USA Health associates are encouraged to call the Meaningful Reflections Line at 251-445-9016 for a daily recorded word of encouragement.
