Care Package

It’s a grey Tuesday afternoon. After a warm, sunny, humid day, it started to drizzle around 3:20. It wasn’t until an hour later that the sky unleashed, letting down heavy drops of rain. I rushed home from the shop – I’m stocking up on big, delicious garlic from Rangshikhar to save me from buying the little, hard to peel garlic – with a raincoat on as the drops came faster and faster. Now, I’m in my warm house (finally, it got warm in here), in front of the house windows and watching and listening to the grey, wet windiness. In front of me sits one of the best care packages I’ve ever received – a box of Trader Joe lovin’ from Anri.

One of our friends here, Rachel, a British lecturer at Sherubtse, once said the term “care package” must be American, as she had never heard that term in her home country. Whoever did coin it got it correct. Nothing makes one feel more cared for or more happy or just plain giddy than tearing into a box from afar and finding treats and sweets and whatever other gifts – books, movies, CDs, cards, homemade wine, freeze-dried ice cream – the person decided to send.

I used to work at the post office at my college and served as the middleman for hundreds of care packages. From the mail bags to the shelves to the hands of those cared for. I only ever received one during all my four years at college – Valentine’s Day, sophomore year. To this day, I’m not sure what compelled my mom to send a package that one time, but it was so perfect and, indeed, made me feel special. The package was small, filled compactly with two boxes of Rocher chocolates (those hazelnut chocolates individually wrapped in gold foil) and two bags of dried squid. I remember opening the package alone in my room, immediately opening one of the bags of dried squid, and eating the whole bag in one sitting. The thought occurred to me that I shouldn’t feel guilty for doing that; not many of my Trinity friends would care to share it with me. My mother knew me well – something sweet and something savory. As much as I love them both, when given the choice between two, I’ll likely choose savory.

I’ve mentioned Anri’s package as that’s the one I received today, but there are many people to thank who’ve sent care packages over the years to places like Hong Kong, Wrangell, Barrow, Tanzania, and now Bhutan – friends and family who’ve taken the time to show me, and now Scott and I that we’re cared for and loved and missed. Thank you.