Dinner

 

October 21, 2020

We sat down to a dinner of leftover spaghetti, bread, and salad. Last night, it was stuffed peppers. Both times, we ate our fill and put the rest in the refrigerator for another day. I had to throw out a piece of barbecued chicken and a package of mushrooms that had stuff growing on it. And all the while, an envelope rested before us on the table; a plea from the Salvation Army to help hungry families at Thanksgiving.

We are not considered rich by this country’s standards, but in many places around the world, we would be wealthy beyond imagination. Kings and queens of old didn’t live in the luxury we take for granted. 

I love castles. I get regular photos of them on my Facebook newsfeed; beautiful edifices from all around the world—places I would love to visit, but probably never will. As amazing as these structures are, fortresses of stone in the most inaccessible of places, it doesn’t escape my notice that they were built in and for dangerous times. No one builds fortifications unless there is an expectation of conflict and attack. The United States is the only country in the world without a walled city. Even Canada has Montreal, but here, the most we have are concrete barriers and watchful eyes. In spite of the unrest and riots in many of our city streets, most of us live in relative peace and quiet...and prosperity. Even our poor are better off than the poor of anywhere else in the world.

And tonight we again had supper. So what about those who are hungry? We aren’t waiting for some government program to care for them. We share what we have; we contribute to the Salvation Army, to the Buffalo City Mission, to UCAN, and to various other missions that serve in spite of razor thin margins and innumerable mountains of administratively required red tape. I say this not to brag, but as a reminder of my blessings. Someone once said they gave when they were poor to obtain the blessing, and now they give because they have the blessing. We ate simply, but well, and give thanks to be on the giving side of things in this life. Too many don’t know what it’s like to experience Jesus’ words, “It is better to give than to receive.” We do, and are grateful.