Sometimes it seems like the true meaning of Thanksgiving has been forgotten and only the good meals are remembered. Thanksgiving is more than eating good food – it’s about reflecting on what you are thankful for and spending time with loved ones. Also, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season.
My most memorable Thanksgivings are the times I helped serve dinner to the less fortunate.
Serving Thanksgiving dinner reminds me to be grateful that I am able to have a hot meal daily.
Also, it reminds me to be thankful that my family can prepare a nice Thanksgiving dinner together and spend the day relaxing and catching up with each other.
I volunteered at a soup kitchen for the first time when I was in the seventh grade, alongside my uncle and cousin. While I was volunteering, I experienced a culture shock. I never had the experience of going to a soup kitchen to eat dinner. My refrigerator was not always the fullest, but my family was always able to eat. I could not believe how many people did not have enough food to have a Thanksgiving meal or family to spend the holiday with.
I learned through conversations that a lot of people who were there lost their jobs, which resulted in them becoming homeless and broke. So many of them depended on their job and when that was gone, so was life as they knew it.
Serving food on Thanksgiving is a humbling experience. I was a spoiled brat growing up, and the worst thing for me was not getting the newest toy that I saw in the commercial. Seeing those families in lines waiting for just one meal made me realize that not getting the new toy was not the end of the world and was nothing in comparison to their worries.
The number of kids waiting for food is what caused me the most pain. I do not believe a child should ever have to worry about where their next meal is coming from or go hungry.
Seeing the smiles on people’s faces while receiving their food makes the small sacrifice of my time all worth it. Thanksgiving is not the only time I volunteer to help serve dinner, but throughout the year as my schedule permits.
Before I volunteered, I did not think the majority of people eating at soup kitchens were families. I thought it was only the homeless people I saw on the sides of the highway and on the streets who ate there. I learned a valuable lesson during my times at the soup kitchens – to be thankful for the food I am able to eat and the warm bed I get to sleep in every night, because there are some people who do not have that.
A tradition at my family’s Thanksgiving dinner is to share what we are thankful for before we begin eating. This Thanksgiving I am thankful for being able to attend college and all the opportunities college offers. Most importantly, I am thankful to be alive.
While Thanksgiving is the traditional day to acknowledge what you’re thankful for, it should not be the only day this happens. Every day there is something to be thankful for. Unfortunately, this
Thanksgiving I will not be serving dinner at a soup kitchen, but I plan to serve dinner over Christmas break and on Christmas.
Volunteering at soup kitchens is a very rewarding experience and an easy way to give back without spending any money or taking a lot of time. Soup kitchens are found everywhere and particularly in urban cities.
Another way I plan to give back is by volunteering at shelters for teens and teen moms. I want to help them see the potential in themselves and hopefully inspire them to pursue higher education and achieve their dreams.
How will you be giving back and making a difference during the Thanksgiving break? Share your stories on easternecho.com, our Facebook page or on Twitter @TheEasternEcho.
