Halloween at an elementary school is always a magical, yet chaotic, day for teachers, but I’ve been teaching for over three decades, so I expected the commotion. The halls were abuzz with excited children parading their costumes for each other. Even the adults were encouraged to join in the light-hearted frivolity and many were in costume for the day’s activities.

I was already at work when I realized I hadn’t packed my fruit for the noon meal and I would have to find fruit somewhere in the school. I was on a mission. The usual places where food is commonly found bore no results, so I gave up. I decided to text my sponsor to tell her that I was going to give it to God and not have a fruit with my lunch.

That’s when I saw my colleague dressed as Maleficent, the evil villain from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. She was posing with a fruit she’d brought as a prop with her costume and was pretending to take a bite when another colleague reminded her that the fruit simply had to be the authentic red in color. Maleficent turned and replied, “Then what do I do with this yellow one?” I chimed in to ask, “If you’re not going to use it, could I have it? I’ve forgotten my fruit for my lunch today.”

I’m grateful to God for providing something as simple as a piece of fruit, and from the most unexpected of sources: a special gift from Maleficent.