Picked Up from the Streets of New Delhi, India

So my dad called and I told him what I bought with the Whole Foods gift certificate he and my stepmom had given me for Christmas.

"It's a messenger bag that I'm using for work, like a briefcase," I said.

"Oh, that's good," he answered.

"It was made from recycled plastic bags . . ."

"Hmmmm," he answered.

"Picked up from the streets of New Delhi, India," I went on.

""Uh-huh."

"And made by poor women with no other means of income . . ."

Silence. I knew I had added one detail too many. There comes a point when I must just stop, and frankly, sometimes I have trouble recognizing that point.

The silence was deafening. I knew he was searching for just the right thing to say, the thing that would tie together "recycled plastic bags" and "streets of New Delhi" and "poor women."

And then, he said,

"Enjoy it!"

I just smiled. His comment reminded me that it was a holiday gift, and that there's nothing wrong with enjoyment for enjoyment's sake. I love the colors of this bag and the way it hangs on my shoulder. And frankly, that's enough, too.

But for those who may want more out of their purchases, to feel as if they did some good or voted with their dollar somehow, this bag is from a company named World of Good started by two college friends in Berkeley, California. I wrote about them on my other blog over a year ago, and I have since been thrilled to watch the company grow.

And I find myself scheduling more business meetings lately, too, just so I can use my new bag.

Picked Up from the Streets of New Delhi, India