50 things...no. 14

"Time stands still best in moments that look suspiously like ordinary life."
~Storypeople

"Don't fret about copping life's grand rewards...enjoy in it's tiny delights"
~Unknown

Ziploc bags may not seem like something to be thankful for, but until I became a mom I never realized just how invaluable they are. They are so very ordinary, yet they can hold amazing things. I have bags filled with tiny treasures...with rocks & sticks that my son gave me when he was small (he's now 14 and taller than I am)...and with seashells collected while on walks down the beach with my mother and my daughter. The memories and stories that come to my mind whenever I hold one of these bags is, well, priceless.

Of course, there are the everyday uses of the ziploc bags...like using them to pack school lunches or for putting toiletries in when going through the airport for a trip...and even these events bring to mind things that I'm grateful for. Although some mornings it can be a pain, I relish the time spent making lunches with my kids...before too long they'll be at college and I'll miss this routine. Also, as a mom, I don't think I've ever left the house without a ziploc bag full of snacks in my car!

I try to use ziploc bags responsibly and reuse them whenever I can (unless they've had raw meat or fish in them) and I recycle the box they come in. Even before recycling became "popular" both my mom and my mother-in-law would wash out the bags and dry them (inside out) before using them again. You can also check online to find out if your area recycles plastic bags.

What are some things that you use ziploc bags for...do your bags hold any treasures or memories?