“They were cheap, plain brown bags; the messages written on them, however, were timeless and priceless.” When Al Parisi’s daughter was a sophomore in high school, he began writing simple yet meaningful messages on her lunch bags each day. For the next year, Ann Marie Parisi treasured these notes, first in private and gradually with her friends at school. These short inspirational messages have now been collected in Lunch Bag Notes, a book for all teens to enjoy. Each daily note is accompanied by questions for reflection and space for journaling, inviting teenagers to engage in self-exploration and consider the importance of leading a faith-filled moral and ethical life. The messages contained in the book touch on such ideas as cultivating a positive attitude, assessing the health of friendships, developing a strong character, and nurturing one’s talents. Al Parisi’s gentle, loving words are, as Ann Marie says,“maxims for a happy and fulfilling life.” Taken together, these messages reveal a strong, positive relationship between a father and his teenage daughter.
