Containers

I have a secret obsession but don’t tell anyone. Here it is – I LOVE containers. I love containers of all types and sizes. I buy things that I need, thrilled if I find it in a container I can reuse in the future. I love to find a container that perfectly suits my needs. I can never have enough containers (do you suppose I need counseling???)

At first, I thought it was just my African friends who loved containers as much as I do. I give away all kinds of things – cans and boxes and jars – all snatched up with lightening speed.

But then I discovered that I am not the only American who has this obsession. Several months ago, I stood in a store in Conakry with a missionary friend looking at a hugely overpriced container of snacking crackers. We stood pondering the purchase, weighing whether or not we could justify spending that kind of money on crackers. As I got ready to open my mouth, she said, well, it does come in a nice container that we could reuse. . . my thoughts exactly!

Today after lunch at Jims aunts house, I was washing out a fantastic metal tin that had stored cookies and I thought, my word, I could put all kinds of things in this. As I shopped for and packed my shipment in June, cramming and stuffing into every type of plastic container I could find, I kept thinking of the things I could store in them when I got to Guinea. I bought containers for my kitchen and bathroom and vehicle and medical supplies. More and more containers……

I even love ziplocks – especially the really big ones. I use them ALL the time in Guinea (note to self, remember to buy some to take back.) They even make the REALLY big ones – that you can store pillow and blankets in. How fabulous is that!
I suspect that my love of containers stems from two facets of my life…

1. I love to organize things – a place for everything and everything in its place. I love to sort and store things in different containers. My joy of seeing everything sorted in its place is topped only by my joy of seeing all of it labeled (with my label maker, of course) and arranged neatly on a shelf.

2. I live in a country that is filled with numerous creatures that want to invade my personal possessions -rats and bugs and roaches and ants and lizards and dust (I know that is not a creature but still). Storing things in airtight plastic or metal containers is good for my sanity. Of course, even heavy plastic does not guarantee that the creatures will not get in, but at least it keeps some things out.

So, if you see a woman in Wal-Mart with a big cartload of containers, you might want to get out of the way (I probably won’t be able to see over the top….). You don’t want to get in between a woman and her obsession.