A Shift In Perspective

I’m not gonna lie, sometimes working on the Little Yellow Free Pantry is exhausting.

Each time I fill it up requires 2 trips outside – first to check and see what is needed.  Then back inside, downstairs, fill the basket with necessary items, back upstairs, and outside again to put the items inside the pantry.

And sometimes…  Sometimes when I turn the corner on the sidewalk with my full basket, heading back to the pantry, I see a guest standing there.

And sometimes…

Sometimes instead of thinking, “Oh good!  A guest!  I will get to chat and give food directly to them!”, sometimes…  When I am tired or maybe cranky.  When I am rushed or stressed.  Sometimes I think the opposite…

“Ugh – a guest.  That means they may take most of what is in my basket.  Which means ANOTHER trip downstairs for me.  Fill the basket AGAIN.  Go outside AGAIN…”.

Sometimes I don’t see the guest as an opportunity for kindness, but as a burden on my time.

I admit that.  I dislike that I have that reaction sometimes, but I am being honest here – I DO feel that way sometimes.

As I did today.

I was taking a quick half hour lunch break from work.  Before I made something to eat, I popped out to the pantry to take stock of what was needed.  I made a mental list and headed down to the storage shelves.  I packed the basket nice and heavy and went back outside.

Turned the corner.

A guest.

My mind didn’t immediately snap to kindness mode.

It went to “burden mode”.

But I walked up and said hello to the guest anyway.

And item by item I offered them what I had just brought out. 

They smiled.  Said yes to many things, no to a few things.  We got into a rhythm – hold up item, say what it is, yes or no, put in bag or pantry.  Over and over and over.

“Oh yes!” to tuna.

“Yes please,” to cereal.

“Yes – for the children,” to ravioli.

“YESSSS!  OH YES PLEASE!” to a tube of toothpaste.

And in the end – a small candy bar.  “This is for YOU.  Not for children,” I said and smiled.

My mindset changed. 

This was not a burden. 

This was an opportunity.

An opportunity for engagement.  For interaction.  For COMMUNITY.

For kindness.

When we had gone through the basket the guest smiled and said, “I am so lucky today!!”.

Yes. 

You and me both.  So lucky today.

We stood in the sunshine.  We breathed in the fresh air.  We exchanged canned goods and smiles. 

Another day.  More luck.

Sometimes all it takes is a slight shift in perspective.