Wants and Needs

Even though we live on a budget and watch closely our purchases to afford this "time-out" year, we still have a good lifestyle. We have everything we need and more. Since Amelia's 4th birthday is coming up soon, she was asked several times what she wants and her answers are always surprising to other people. She doesn't ask for any toys or games (I guess that means she already has enough) but she wants a cake, a card, her favorite toothpaste and toothbrush and her favorite soups. As you can tell I have a very easy to please child:) And I'm very happy about the fact that she has no great desire for many material things. That's the way we try to raise her. So far, she never completed a Santa's wish list and I try to keep it that way. But she always loved the gifts she received on either her birthday or Christmas. We just try not to overload them with material things or make them think a birthday or Christmas is only about gifts. And believe me when I say my kids have plenty of toys as they still receive many birthday or Christmas gifts.  

But there are a lot of people, and especially children, living in the U.S. that don't have a lot, not even food. So I have been looking for opportunities to help out this summer and share what we have with other, less fortunate, people. A few weeks ago I participated with my Mommy group in bringing dinner to a community center that offers a variety of free programs (after school, summer camps, fitness classes) to mostly low-income families.  

And today I volunteered in our local Soup Kitchen with a group from church (this group volunteers once a month there). It has been my first time working in a Soup Kitchen and it was an eye opening experience. This soup kitchen relies on volunteers 4 days a week (one morning shift and one afternoon shift) to prepare the meals and serve them. Every day they serve between 150 to 220 people for lunch and deliver 250 pre-cooked freezer meals during the week. I sliced a lot of ham and apples today in preparation for their annual Christmas in July lunch tomorrow. It was hard work but also a very humbling experience.  Since a while now I have the inner need to do something else with my free time than just serve myself. And let me tell you, it did feel good, although I didn't volunteer to make myself feel better but rather to learn more about options to help others. It is just one of those things that work both ways- you give and you receive. So I will be back regularly at the Soup Kitchen.