Unexpected Package

Briana Murphy was sitting in her living room comfortably enjoying the air conditioning and her favorite movie "Great Expectations" when the postman knocked on her front door. She opened the door and saw the postman holding a brown paper box. She became a bit suspicious. She hadn't ordered anything, and could not imagine what it was.

"Briana Murphy?" the postman checked the delivery information.

"Yes," she confirmed feeling confused.

"Please sign here," the postman requested and handed her a tablet for her to place her signature.

She signed on the line of receipt, then the postman handed her the package and walked back to his delivery truck. Briana stared curiously at the package walking back into her home and began to look for clues. There was no return label. She found that very odd or suspicious. Was this something dangerous? Maybe she shouldn't open it. What if there's something toxic or life threatening inside? No, that's not rational. The postman wouldn't deliver something like that, would he?

She sat down with the package searching her mind for a memory of ordering anything that she may have forgotten about. She was sure of it, she had not. She shook the package a bit to see if there was a clue in the sound of the contents. She heard a bit of rustling or shuffling as if it contained more than one item.

She sighed a heavy sigh. She was desperate to know what was inside, yet she was cowardly about opening it. If only she knew who it was from. What if it's something mean or ugly? I don't want to see it. What if it's a mistake? Maybe there is another Briana Murphy and this is a lost package - Then I'll have to repackage it and find out where it belongs.

She set it on the coffee table and went to the kitchen to make herself of cup of Chai tea. She glanced at the package again. Nothing notable about the box at all, just a plain, square, brown paper package. When she was finished preparing her cup of tea, she walked back toward the living room and sat down on the sofa before the box.

She sighed again. Oh, just get this over with. She began to tear open the package. It was difficult. It wasn't opening easily. She had to go get some scissors for assistance. After a few cuts here and there, she had the box open.

A bunch of styrofoam peanuts and white tissue surrounded whatever was within. She shuffled her hands through the guardians and finally saw her gift. Photographs. Dozens and dozens of photographs.

Are these.....? Oh my God! She held one in her hand and couldn't believe her eyes. They were her photographs. Dozens and dozens of her old photographs. She had thought she would never see them again. Four years previous, after a certain tragedy, she thought they were lost forever. She never knew who to ask where they had gone. She never knew that it would be possible that they still existed.

Photographs of her when she was a child. Photographs of her with her mother who had passed away. Photographs of her with her grandmother who had passed away. Photographs of her wedding. Photographs of her when she was pregnant. Photographs of her baby who was now an adult. Photographs of her travels. Photographs of good times with her friends. She looked at each and every photograph. She sat there for hours and the tears poured down her cheeks as she remembered every moment that had been captured on film. Her precious memories. Her priceless moments. She almost couldn't breath.

Who could have known? Who could have saved these? Who? How could she ever thank them? Why did they do such a wonderful and kind gesture? Why didn't they tell her who had them?

It didn't matter. None of it mattered. When she was able to catch her breath and the tears had subsided, she put the photographs delicately back into the brown paper box. She kissed the box. She silently said a prayer for whomever sent the package. Thank you, whoever you are. Thank you for knowing how much these mean to me. Thank you for having the heart of gold that could understand the value of my sentiments. May God and the good Lord protect you, be with you, bless you, and provide you with as many wonderful moments as you have given back to me.