Pencils, paper, sharpener, colored pencils and scissors.
Last night a group of us went to the Humanitarian Center and spent a couple of hours putting together school supplies in book bags. We learned that the bags were going to be delivered to children in Israel. Although we were laughing and having a grand time of making fun of the different materials which the bags were made of, there was an underlying feeling that truly this small gesture would make a difference in the life of these children and they would love them.
Honestly as I have been reflecting on the whole concept of what we were doing last night, the realization of how incredibly spoiled I have been my whole life has come into perspective……again. Every time I volunteer at the food bank or help serve food at the Salvation Army or donate items to Desert Industries or make quilts for the Humanitarian Center or spend any time in serve projects, I naturally become extremely more grateful for what I have had and what I do have in my life.
I didn’t come from a home where we ever had money. I was raised in a three bedroom, single wide trailer home where I shared a room with my three sisters. We had two sets of bunk beds which barely fit into the room and made for good secret sharing and giggling at bed time. My brothers were in one room and my parents in the other. Even that got to be too expensive and so we pick up and moved onto the campus of Dixie College where my parents worked as the dorm parents. This took away the stress of a mortgage/rent payment, along with water and utility bills. I started babysitting when I was 9 in order to earn some spending money and started working for a company at the age of 15 and have had a job ever since.
However I did come from a home where I had both my mom and my dad (still married by the way), with three sisters and three brothers and more love than I could have ever deserved. We played together and worked together. Sure we had our problems, but I was always secure in the fact that I never had to doubt that I was safe and protected in this world with my family. I also always had a roof over my head and food on the table. Store bought clothes were rare, but my talented mom sewed us incredible clothes. We were taught to love to read. We always had books to find ourselves submersed in a new world. We had everything that we needed, not wanted, but needed.
Now I find that I have a few of the extras that were not afforded as I grew up. I put myself through college and have worked hard to be in the position I am today. I also have found that I would give up every one of those extras to gain a relationship as strong as my parents. Eye-opening experiences that put life into the correct perspective probably don’t occur enough. However as I walked down the stairs last night out of the Humanitarian Center and saw the pictures of all those children who will never know or enjoy all the peace, comfort, security and love that I have enjoyed, my heart was truly grateful.
Last night a group of us went to the Humanitarian Center and spent a couple of hours putting together school supplies in book bags. We learned that the bags were going to be delivered to children in Israel. Although we were laughing and having a grand time of making fun of the different materials which the bags were made of, there was an underlying feeling that truly this small gesture would make a difference in the life of these children and they would love them.
Honestly as I have been reflecting on the whole concept of what we were doing last night, the realization of how incredibly spoiled I have been my whole life has come into perspective……again. Every time I volunteer at the food bank or help serve food at the Salvation Army or donate items to Desert Industries or make quilts for the Humanitarian Center or spend any time in serve projects, I naturally become extremely more grateful for what I have had and what I do have in my life.
I didn’t come from a home where we ever had money. I was raised in a three bedroom, single wide trailer home where I shared a room with my three sisters. We had two sets of bunk beds which barely fit into the room and made for good secret sharing and giggling at bed time. My brothers were in one room and my parents in the other. Even that got to be too expensive and so we pick up and moved onto the campus of Dixie College where my parents worked as the dorm parents. This took away the stress of a mortgage/rent payment, along with water and utility bills. I started babysitting when I was 9 in order to earn some spending money and started working for a company at the age of 15 and have had a job ever since.
However I did come from a home where I had both my mom and my dad (still married by the way), with three sisters and three brothers and more love than I could have ever deserved. We played together and worked together. Sure we had our problems, but I was always secure in the fact that I never had to doubt that I was safe and protected in this world with my family. I also always had a roof over my head and food on the table. Store bought clothes were rare, but my talented mom sewed us incredible clothes. We were taught to love to read. We always had books to find ourselves submersed in a new world. We had everything that we needed, not wanted, but needed.
Now I find that I have a few of the extras that were not afforded as I grew up. I put myself through college and have worked hard to be in the position I am today. I also have found that I would give up every one of those extras to gain a relationship as strong as my parents. Eye-opening experiences that put life into the correct perspective probably don’t occur enough. However as I walked down the stairs last night out of the Humanitarian Center and saw the pictures of all those children who will never know or enjoy all the peace, comfort, security and love that I have enjoyed, my heart was truly grateful.
posted by B at
3:36 PM
3 Comments:
Makes me feel like a real whiney baby sometimes.
By
Kate, At
5:27 PM
Thanks for writing about this. It serves as a reminder to followup on my pledge to donate my time.
And thank you also for sharing with us your childhood stories. It is indeed amazing to see how your family managed not just to survive, but to thrive.
Unfortunately my parents got divorced when I was very young. Here is the posting I wrote on the anniversary of my mother's death.
But as you say, there are still many blessings to count.
By
David Cho, At
9:06 PM
Seventy-two thousand two hundred fifteen, seventy-two thousand two hundred sixteen, seventy-two thousand two hundred seventeen...whew! I know it's a good idea to count my blessings, but holy crap! there's so many of them it's gonna take me whole life just to count them all!! You're right, David, there's a ton of 'em!
By
MDJ, At
7:13 PM
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