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Don’t tell anyone, but I love Velveeta^©.  I know it isn’t really cheese, but it is just… I don’t know, so bad it’s good?

The other day I was getting ready to toss a large empty Velveeta^© box away.  I looked at the box and had a jog down memory lane or a Barbie doll flashback.

I will age myself with this one but how many of you remember using an empty Velveeta^© box to play with?   Boy, I do.  I didn’t ever have a Barbie Dream House but I don’t think I minded since I had everything created from imagination.

My box was a bathtub.  It was exactly the right size for Barbie to sit in.  You could tape the sides with paper you drew designs on, and could use cotton balls to make it look like the tub was full of bubbles.

My box was a car.  It may only have looked like a car in my mind, but Barbie sure liked driving it around with GI Joe – oh?  You didn’t know?  She really didn’t like wimpy Ken; she like macho Joe.

My box, when turned over, and sometimes combined with another box, was a bed.  Mom helped me make little pillows and gave me bits of material for blankets that finished off the effect.

My box was all sorts of furniture.  All it took was imagination.

I’m not sure kids now days have as much fun playing as we did when I was growing up.  They have so much stress and anxiety – and that’s just from playing games on the computer.  I don’t think they get to invent - to imagine - to dream and play - like we used to.  I think we have done them a disservice with all the programs and sports games they are involved in. 

Sometimes, you just need a little time to sit, imagine and dream.  There is no telling what you could come up with! 

Ever since I brought the Velveeta^© box into my office to remind me I wanted to write this, it got put to good use (temporarily).  Mom has given me a huge pile of good rubber bands from her mail so I tossed them in the empty box.  See?  Great imagination.  Of course, hubby would have something sarcastic to say about my Velveeta box (and he’d be right) – but like I said, it was temporary!

Velveeta cheese has been around since 1928.  There is even a history page on the Kraft website – http://www.kraftfoods.com/Velveeta/VelveetaFlashHistory.  It’s pretty interesting.  For instance, did you know they used to make Velveeta in log form?  Me, neither!  Go check it out!

JOY is having a great imagination – and using it.  Until next time, enjoy your life.