The envelope

Ever noticed how after writing a letter, signing it, folding it and preparing it for 'stuffing' you think, I hope this fits, and as though it was destiny, you seem to have miscalculated the fold sizes and one fold is too large.  You know you can't open it up and refold it, you really don't want to rewrite it on new paper, and you certainly can't buy a larger envelope, that would just look awkward, an under filled envelope, who has ever heard of such a thing?

My solution to this is actually the first one, to unfold it and refold it.  The new crease has no bearing on how the letter will be read.  It does not disrupt the envelope in any way, and I can't imagine that the recipient even cares that there is an extra crease.

When I get the letter with the double crease I know the person who sent it cares less about the presentation then the content, just as I do.  They shrug their shoulders as the letter gets crammed into the envelope, and they cringe while licking the adhesive strip.  But all the while their mind is on what they have conveyed in the letter, the words of hope and encouragement, maybe a birthday wish, possibly some financial aid being passed on.  It's the content in the letter, not the paper and how it appears.

But what of the envelope, the vessel that holds all that wonderful or biting content, what does it look like?  White, pink, brown maybe even green or blue.  So many colors, shapes, sizes and patterns.  Some with tears, too much postage, not enough postage, a little dirt, taped up, no return address, a sticker on the back. So many eye catching descriptors on the vessel that carries the message.

But the envelope is overlooked.  And when it comes down to the point of it all, this makes sense, and really, it's not so bad.

After all our lives resemble the envelope.

Often we are overlooked for how the envelope appears.  A size too big, a flaw in the packaging, not the color we like, piercings, contrasting fashions, so many things we find an excuse over, in order to not listen to the inner message.  But it's what is contained within us that makes an eternal difference, not the packaging, that's just the vessel that brings the message.

Life is too short and too hard to focus on the way the message of life, hope, grace and love is brought to us.  It's the story that makes the difference, the vessel is simply the mode of transportation for it.

So next time you feel like jumping to conclusion because someone is covered in body art and they don't appear the person you expect, remember that the envelope can be overlooked when what you really want is the letter inside.