Have you been there? Are you there now? I've been there, and tomorrow could happen to me again.
Being proud, is an important part of life. Work hard, yield the seeds you plant and the effort you put forth... hard work yields a great harvest.
Except...
When it doesn't work that way for everyone...
I grew up in a poor family. Not my fault, I was just a child. I grew up the hard way.
Can I buy a McDonalds burger today and not worry about the cost? Yes I can!
Could I buy a McDonalds burger many years ago and not worry about the cost? No I couldn't.
Let me explain.
I, like most, didn't have a fantastic childhood. My earliest memories of my childhood were problematic times, during periods of economic trouble.
I'm writing my experience today, not for you to feel sorry for me. I just feel it is something I need to share... to someone... who finds value in what I've been through.
As an example...
One of my earliest memories was walking with my family, in the rain, all the way to the bakery on foot as cars passed us by. My mother would send the kids in... "Ask them if they have any day-old-bread"
...day-old-bread was fresh yesterday, but today it was 50% off...
We got lucky most of the time. Yes! There was day-old-bread 50% off...
Except this one particular day, that is burned in my memory forever...
...
We walked 45 minutes in the rain to the bakery, to ask "do you have any day-old-bread?"
The answer was "sorry, we're out".
We turned around and gave the bad news to my mother, who also was frustrated, and she said "ok, let's go home".
So through that 45 minute walk there, we did another 45 minute walk home "with no bread".
Breakfast and lunch that next day had no bread. We were hungry and because the bakery didn't have a surplus of old bread, we didn't have any bread the next day.
Today I'm not rich. But I can afford a loaf of fresh bread, at the very minimum
....
I have have to wonder now... why my earliest memories as a child were asking for "day-old-bread" and the one time we couldn't get some, it's burned into my mind like a tattoo..
As a child, I remember Christmas food hampers... when the food bank gave us a big box of goodies. Life changed for us as a family (and I remember this) when my single divorced mother parked a big cardboard box on the kitchen table full of food when special people brought it to our front door.
How did they know? Why did they know we were a starving family?
...
To this day, I don't know how they knew...
...
Without the good will of people back then, maybe I wouldn't even remember my childhood.
I grew up poor. I lost a lot of my memories by blocking them out. I just remember the good times when they did have "day-old-bread" or when the food bank rescued us.
As an adult, I pride myself on NOT having to buy "day-old-bread" or needing a food bank to feed me... I want that good will to go to people other than me who really do need it.
But it is a very thin line from where I came from, and where I am now. I will totally support those troubled children during the special new times of their life, where food and starvation blocks out their memories.
I was one of those children. I will help if I can.
..
I'm not even sure why I shared this tonight, other than... it was something I'd only tell my closest friends. The blockchain makes it easier to tell everyone, so I did.
There are a lot of hungry families out there, and not all of the mothers and fathers are drug addicts either. The innocent children hurt. Throw a jar of peanut butter or something else into the food bank collection box if you can afford it. You could help an innocent child who needs it.
I wipe a tear as I force myself to remember this...
On a similar note.
You can give $200 to someone, or 20 minutes of your time. Depending on who it is, what the reason is, and what it is that is in need... paying it forward doesn't have to happen huge or big. Sometimes society needs to help the less fortunate whether it be big or small. Any bit helps.
I help people when I can, and I'm proud of that.
- Share a bit of yourself... ever been in need? Ever helped a family?