Giving: It's Not Just for the Holidays

I did the coolest thing today. I helped out at the soup kitchen. I've never done anything like that before, but it was seriously so cool. I went over around 9:30 this morning with 2 other ladies. This little 80-year-old woman, Francis, runs the place, and she wasted no time in putting us to work.

We sorted through the food and threw out the stuff that was spoiled. We cut fruit to make a salad, mixed up some clam chowder, and got sandwiches ready. Then the local grocery stores dropped off boxes and boxes of food. We looked through the 8 fridges and 2 deep freezers to find places for all the new food and rotate out the older food.

Around noon people started coming in from the cold to enjoy a hot bowl of soup and a sandwich. They were all so grateful, and I felt so good being able to help them. I even chatted and joked with a few people. These are people that under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have ever stopped to talk to.

After people were done eating they stuffed their pockets with extra sandwiches or filled a bag with a cake or pastry and zipped up their coats to bear the cold. And if, by chance, they didn't have enough clothes to brave the blizzarding conditions outside, they walked to the other side of the room where there were tables and racks full of donated clothes and blankets. Everything was free.

As people were filing out, we wished them a nice day. Then we spent about 30 mintues cleaning up: washing dishes, wiping down tables and counters, putting away the remaining food.

I feel so good knowing that I did something good for someone else. Something that took so little on my part, meant so much to those people. I could see in their faces how grateful they were. It's easy to be in the Spirit of Giving around Christmas time, but I realized today that it's an attitude we should have all the time. I can't wait until I can help at the soup kitchen again!