Many people this holiday season don’t have enough food on the table. Some don’t even consume three balanced meals per day. This is the time to be grateful for what you do have: new clothes, a new job, a new furniture or perhaps its children that are happy and healthy or a loved one that came home alive from serving in the military.
A lot of people don’t have jobs and can’t afford to feed their families the way most of us eat. The government is cutting the social programs such as food stamps, EBT, Medicare, Medicaid leaving a lot of people without.
Remember, not everyone has loved ones to count on or a stable income, or has a place to live. A lot of people do not even know what it feels like to be invited to someone’s home for a Thanksgiving celebration. A lot are stuck at home unable to travel, to sick, elderly, or perhaps their family has died leaving them with no one to count on.
It’s not only humans. there are a lot of homeless animals that need love and support in our local shelters, in the streets. Volunteering to go in to help, to show love gets you out of self.
So you see you really have a lot to be grateful for.
With all the negatives that seem to be present, what positive action can you take to help a total stranger? Would you help others even if it is a small amount? Really, anything helps. You can get out of yourself and your ego by donating unused cans of food, dry food staples such as rice, beans to a food bank or donation center in your neighborhood.
Another idea is to gather up all of your old clothes that can still be used and taking it to a homeless shelter. Donate blankets, or coats or hats for the homeless.
Perhaps your church, if you belong to one, has a list of shut-ins that you visit and bring them a hot meal. If you are not a member of a church, what about a food drive in your neighborhood for the sick and elderly? Even some schools have food drives to help the homeless children that are living in shelters with their parents. Another option is to go through your children’s clothes that don’t fit anymore, and contacting the school or school board and ask where you can take them so that another child may be to use them. Even contact the orphanages close to where you live.
Simply getting out of self, can put someone else in the spotlight and perhaps make a better world for humankind.
Chef Mary Beth is a professional chef who has made her career as a private personal chef in the luxury field for over 25 years. Chef Johnson is the recipient of numerous culinary and visionary awards in her field and is often in the media for her expertise as well as appearing on television and she writes for major media outlets.
Mary Beth Johnson, CEPC, CCC
"Chef Mary Beth creates delicious and elegant culinary works of art that should be in a museum, as described by E. Oppenheim. She is a professional chef who has made her career as a private personal chef in the luxury field for over 25 years. Chef Johnson is the recipient of numerous culinary and visionary awards in her field and is often in the media for her expertise as well as appearing on television and she is an author to writing for major media publications.