Thanksgiving...
Hey, hope everyones holiday was what they had hoped for...Let me tell you about what I did today...Just venting and thinkin aloud...
This morning I volunteered at a church on the Southside of Chicago. First, I went to a church in the community to get 250 Thanksgiving meals made, and then to have them delivered to an elderly complex about a mile away...
There were alot of people helping out at the church...This is all the work of one of my bosses, who I get along with extremely well...I did it a couple years ago and had a blast. They had some news reportes interview me and then it was broadcasted on the local Chicago news that evening...Very embarrassing to say the least...It was a great experience. Last year I missed out on it because I was recovering from my most recent MI...So, this year I was all game for it...
Once the meals were completed, we all loaded up our vehicles and delivered them ourselves to everyone in the high rise...It felt great and was a very humbling experience as well...As we were getting ready to leave, I was told there were some left over dinners...I told them I would take three of them with me to drop them off to some of the less fortunate I encounter on the way home...
As I exit the highway, I encounter one immediately, I open my window and ask for the middle aged lady to swing by my vehicle...She gladly obliges and she makes off with a meal that was still warm and with all the fixins...
The next immediate light I encounter another individual...I stop my vehicle, call him over and hand another dinner out the window...He was very thankful...I felt great...Now I had one left and I was purposely holding onto this one..
There is another less fortunate older gentleman almost always at a bus stop a few miles from my residence...Middle aged white male, jacket after jacket on his body, and with bags all around him... I have previously attempted to give him money, but he always turns down my offer... So, this time I'm hoping he'll take the dinner from me, if i can locate him that is...I mean he's not always out there, but I have seen him quite often over the last 2-3yrs.
As I'm driving along and wa-la, he is on the opposite side of the street...I make a u-turn, park my vehicle along the street, hit the hazard lights and hop out. I approach him and can see the reserve in his face...I tell him that I was at a shelter earlier in the day and we had some extra food and I figured he could use a warm Thanksgiving dinner...He smiles and says, yes!!! I was overwhelmed with a feeling I cannot describe...I kept thinking that if I were taken from this life of mine tomorrow that I would have a sense of doing something positive. I was taken over with emotion...
See, a year ago, yesterday, was the last time I seen my grandfather alive...He passed away the day after christmas last year...He was my bestfriend and I miss him dearly...He lived out of state with the rest of the family...
So, as I drove off, an emotional wreck, I kept wishing that I could pick up the phone and tell my "gramps" what I had done...I felt great about seeing this gentleman and being able to give him the dinner. but at the same time so, so, sad that I couldn't speak to my grandfather...I just wanted to hear my grandfathers voice and hear something positive. I then proceeded to return home and have an awesome dinner with my loved ones. So, needless to say it was an emotional day...
That's all, I thought I would give this journal thing a try...Hope everyones day was blessed...Thanks and G-d bless you all...
This morning I volunteered at a church on the Southside of Chicago. First, I went to a church in the community to get 250 Thanksgiving meals made, and then to have them delivered to an elderly complex about a mile away...
There were alot of people helping out at the church...This is all the work of one of my bosses, who I get along with extremely well...I did it a couple years ago and had a blast. They had some news reportes interview me and then it was broadcasted on the local Chicago news that evening...Very embarrassing to say the least...It was a great experience. Last year I missed out on it because I was recovering from my most recent MI...So, this year I was all game for it...
Once the meals were completed, we all loaded up our vehicles and delivered them ourselves to everyone in the high rise...It felt great and was a very humbling experience as well...As we were getting ready to leave, I was told there were some left over dinners...I told them I would take three of them with me to drop them off to some of the less fortunate I encounter on the way home...
As I exit the highway, I encounter one immediately, I open my window and ask for the middle aged lady to swing by my vehicle...She gladly obliges and she makes off with a meal that was still warm and with all the fixins...
The next immediate light I encounter another individual...I stop my vehicle, call him over and hand another dinner out the window...He was very thankful...I felt great...Now I had one left and I was purposely holding onto this one..
There is another less fortunate older gentleman almost always at a bus stop a few miles from my residence...Middle aged white male, jacket after jacket on his body, and with bags all around him... I have previously attempted to give him money, but he always turns down my offer... So, this time I'm hoping he'll take the dinner from me, if i can locate him that is...I mean he's not always out there, but I have seen him quite often over the last 2-3yrs.
As I'm driving along and wa-la, he is on the opposite side of the street...I make a u-turn, park my vehicle along the street, hit the hazard lights and hop out. I approach him and can see the reserve in his face...I tell him that I was at a shelter earlier in the day and we had some extra food and I figured he could use a warm Thanksgiving dinner...He smiles and says, yes!!! I was overwhelmed with a feeling I cannot describe...I kept thinking that if I were taken from this life of mine tomorrow that I would have a sense of doing something positive. I was taken over with emotion...
See, a year ago, yesterday, was the last time I seen my grandfather alive...He passed away the day after christmas last year...He was my bestfriend and I miss him dearly...He lived out of state with the rest of the family...
So, as I drove off, an emotional wreck, I kept wishing that I could pick up the phone and tell my "gramps" what I had done...I felt great about seeing this gentleman and being able to give him the dinner. but at the same time so, so, sad that I couldn't speak to my grandfather...I just wanted to hear my grandfathers voice and hear something positive. I then proceeded to return home and have an awesome dinner with my loved ones. So, needless to say it was an emotional day...
That's all, I thought I would give this journal thing a try...Hope everyones day was blessed...Thanks and G-d bless you all...
Replies
Hi Bicho
It\'s a great feeling to be able to to help the less fortunate. I did it last year and really enjoyed the experience. Unfortunately I was not able to do it this year due to me recovering from a recent amputation. And to be able to go out and help people on the streets is a added bonus. I\'m kind of jealous of you to be albe to have that experienceand glad that you could have the chance.
I\'m sorry that you lost your grandfather. But although he is not with you in person I am sure he is with you in spirit. He knows what you have done and I am very sure he is very proud of you. Although you can\'t speak to him on the phone he hears what you have to say. Just know that he is with you every day.
Rich
Hi Bicho,
Thanks for sharing that beautiful Thanksgiving story. I think Gramps sees and knows what you did for all those people, including the last guy, and I bet he\'s smiling in heaven.
Thanks again for the story, Sue
Thanks for reading my story...It was very difficult writing that...It felt really great though...Glad I could share it with you guys and thanks for responding...