November 25, 2010

• Grateful for Choice

  Today is the day to give thanks for what you have.  People say to think about the abundance that you have, but many people don't even realize what that really means.  For us, we look back over the past year and are truly grateful for many things.  We have the usual: family, family we've chosen, children, yummy food.  Oh wait, let's go back to that last one.  Yummy food.  Because hey, that's what Thanksgiving is all about too, right?  The feast?  Our feasts meant a lot to us this year.  Last year we hosted Thanksgiving, but most of the actual food was brought by relatives.  Last year.  This year we went back to the usual family shuffle of going to first the in-laws for a Thanksgiving feast at lunch, then my side for a Thanksgiving dinner.  But let's get back to last year.

  Last year, my husband had just lost his job in October.  Our food stamp application had not yet gone through all the processing.  For the entire month of November last year, our family was fed by charity.  It was humbling, to have to call the local food banks for schedules.  You can only go once a month, at certain times.  For us, we went to The Freestore Foodbank, St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry, and our local church, the St. Monica St. George food pantry.  Each time I left in tears carrying bags of groceries that I couldn't pay for.  I was very grateful to have them, to be able to feed my family something.  Please think for a moment of what you hear should be donated to food banks: non-perishable food.  What food is healthy?  Perishable food.  Most non perishable food is overloaded with salt, (I hope I never have to eat corned beef again!) and protein was not in big supply. (Even at the freestore, where you could get as much tomato or veggie soup as you wanted, (up to your total limit) but chicken noodle soup was rationed.)  Some of the food (cough: Mac N Cheese) was not only past it's expiration date, but infested with maggots. Anything sugary was just not an option, with the exception of the local church pantry.  Some people are judgmental about this.  They say that if you can't afford to buy your food then you certainly don't need junk food, and that's definitely true, to a point.  But if you are so strapped for cash that you can't even buy food, the comfort of a cookie goes a very long way. But still, with careful planning we got through until the food stamps came through.

  I am certainly not complaining! Every time we went to a foodbank, I was overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of the people that worked or volunteered there, and they got us through a very bad time. But it was not food that we would normally choose to eat.  The old adage is true: Beggars can't be choosers.   And that is why, this Thanksgiving, my husband and I are most thankful that we are no longer at the place where we have to eat food that we don't like because it's all there is.  We no longer have to make pained (but true) jokes about how easy it is to clean the refrigerator because there was so little in it.  We now both have jobs, and like most people, we go to a grocery store.  When we're at the grocery store we may not be able to buy everything that we would like, but we are still able to buy foods that our family prefers.  We don't have to eat something we would rather not because your only other option is to eat nothing at all.  Last year we received many gifts from our friends and family that got us through that period, and we were grateful for all the help we received. This year, we are grateful to not need that help.  This year, although we have worked so hard and are no longer on food stamps or cash assistance, we know it could happen again at any time as we fight our way to financial stability.  This year, it was about  being able to choose whether we wanted sweet potatoes with marshmallows or mashed potatoes, plain green beans or green bean casserole.  Small choices, yes, but something that is so valuable to us.

  Choice. 

  • 10:12 PM
  • 5 Comments