Sharing With A Grateful Attitude

Sharing With A Grateful Attitude

When I was growing up my Mother had a framed Norman Rockwell picture that hung in her kitchen. She had cut it from a Saturday Evening Post magazine in 1943, when she married my Dad. That picture always held a special spot in my heart. The Grandfather standing so proudly, as Grandmother set the turkey on the table, and the family looking on in anticipation. It seemed to draw me into that happy family gathering. As I got older, I learned that the name of this now famous Rockwell painting was entitled “Freedom From Want.” It carries a wonderful message during this month of Thanksgiving.

My parents were children during the great Depression. Many of the stories they told us centered around those hard times. My Great-Grandfather like many in his generation, had grown up on a farm in the Midwest. This meant when they moved into town, they still had a small chicken coop, a large garden, and a “spud cellar” to store canned goods and root crops in. To my parents this meant there may not be money, but there was food to eat.

When the depression hit, it was not uncommon to hear a knock at the back door and find someone asking for a hot meal. Many times my parents related that their meal would be decreased so their Mothers could take the person at the back door a plate of hot food. This was the way you taught your children to be thankful they had food on the table; as well as a way to help someone in need.

I thought of those times while celebrating Thanksgiving with my parents and siblings. I thought of the over full belly, and the nap after dinner which we enjoyed. There were days of leftovers. I thought how fortunate we were. We were not wealthy, but we were well cared for.

When I grew up and had my own family, I shared stories of what life was like for my parents, and their parents. I told my children about how each person has something to be thankful for in his or her life.

We live in a different time now. People have moved from farms into towns, and from small towns into cities. Most of us do not grow our own food any more, nor have a garden. Therefore, we do not appreciate the production of food and the bountiful harvest displayed in the local grocery store where we shop.

This social shift has another effect. People do not know one another as well. Families are smaller in size. Family members and friends have moved away from each other. Neighbors do not know one another. People seem more distant. Strangers are not trusted. The result is people have lost much of their social connection with one another. Their support system is weaker and less reliable. It is more difficult to ask someone for assistance.

As the economy and social structure have shifted, families are realizing that they need to re-evaluate what is really important. Some families and individuals are faring better than others. For people who appreciate what they have and have stayed more connected to others, it is not as difficult to extend their hand to others.

Today we have different ways of “opening the back door and handing a plate of our food to a stranger”. We can donate food to rescue missions and local food banks. We can help out at a crises center. We can go to a nursing home and read letters, or visit with the elderly. We can contact local volunteer organizations and give back to the community a small token of what we have received.

Another good example is the old fashioned Victory Garden. I have observed an increase in this activity. More cities and towns are allowing people who don’t have the space for a garden, to use city property. I have been to Boston where some areas have been planting their gardens since the depression. This is a great way for communities and groups of people to work together. It increases our sense of gratitude and thankfulness for the blessings we have been given.

Close to my home there is a church which has set aside a large garden area. It has the space for about thirty families. In taking a walk, I often pass by this location and see the variety of foods being raised. People work along side one another and share ideas about gardening. They grow closer to each other and come to appreciate the bounties of the earth.. This is truly a good experience for all involved.

I hope you take the time to look around you at all the things you have. I hope you’re grateful for the good meals you eat. I hope you enjoy the crisp walks on a colorful fall day. I hope you appreciate the smiles you receive from others and give smiles back in return. I hope you find the time to do something for those around you. Just something to think about. Until later… Colleen

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