I’m not gonna lie,
sometimes working on the Little Yellow Free Pantry is exhausting.
Each time I fill it up
requires 2 trips outside – first to check and see what is needed. Then back inside, downstairs, fill the basket
with necessary items, back upstairs, and outside again to put the items inside
the pantry.
And sometimes… Sometimes when I turn the corner on the
sidewalk with my full basket, heading back to the pantry, I see a guest
standing there.
And sometimes…
Sometimes instead of
thinking, “Oh good! A guest! I will get to chat and give food directly to
them!”, sometimes… When I am tired or
maybe cranky. When I am rushed or
stressed. Sometimes I think the opposite…
“Ugh – a guest. That means they may take most of what is in
my basket. Which means ANOTHER trip
downstairs for me. Fill the basket
AGAIN. Go outside AGAIN…”.
Sometimes I don’t see the
guest as an opportunity for kindness, but as a burden on my time.
I admit that. I dislike that I have that reaction
sometimes, but I am being honest here – I DO feel that way sometimes.
As I did today.
I was taking a quick half
hour lunch break from work. Before I made
something to eat, I popped out to the pantry to take stock of what was
needed. I made a mental list and headed
down to the storage shelves. I packed
the basket nice and heavy and went back outside.
Turned the corner.
A guest.
My mind didn’t immediately
snap to kindness mode.
It went to “burden mode”.
But I walked up and said hello
to the guest anyway.
And item by item I offered
them what I had just brought out.
They smiled. Said yes to many things, no to a few
things. We got into a rhythm – hold up
item, say what it is, yes or no, put in bag or pantry. Over and over and over.
“Oh yes!” to tuna.
“Yes please,” to cereal.
“Yes – for the children,”
to ravioli.
“YESSSS! OH YES PLEASE!” to a tube of toothpaste.
And in the end – a small
candy bar. “This is for YOU. Not for children,” I said and smiled.
My mindset changed.
This was not a
burden.
This was an opportunity.
An opportunity for
engagement. For interaction. For COMMUNITY.
For kindness.
When we had gone through
the basket the guest smiled and said, “I am so lucky today!!”.
Yes.
You and me both. So lucky today.
We stood in the
sunshine. We breathed in the fresh
air. We exchanged canned goods and
smiles.
Another day. More luck.
Sometimes all it takes is
a slight shift in perspective.
