One story

Last week I started typing up two other ideas before I wrote what was posted. Sometimes order is important.

I also started thinking of one story earlier in the day, for something else. After posting, I realized that it may help illustrate last week's ideas.

It started with our Christmas ham.

It was big and came out really well. I knew it would make good sandwiches, but there was too much left over for us to go through it before it went bad. I was planning on freezing some, then the thought came to me, "You should make sandwiches and take it downtown."

Okay, I could do that.

I had different thoughts, but what I ended up taking with me was eleven ham sandwiches (eight with Swiss cheese), four Mandarin oranges, and some dipping sauces that I thought could work in place of condiments.

I worried about it being awkward. I can have a tendency to be overly apologetic, like sorry they are dry or that there isn't more or all of these things, but I am trying to be less awkward, and it was fine.

I ran into one person almost immediately who took two, and then I met up with a group of three men who took the rest. 

Okay. Easy.

Then I kept going and saw a group of about fifteen, and I had nothing left.

Well, you have to think of it like that story about throwing beached starfish back into the ocean; I made a difference to that one (or four).

There was one person on that sidewalk who stuck out to me; I needed to do something for him. Fortunately, I had a $5 on me, so gave him that.

I decided that there isn't any reason that I can't take some sandwiches with me when I go downtown, and maybe not just downtown.

I have done it a few more times. It has been mostly easy. It was a little more complicated one night. I don't mean it was scary, but there wasn't this immediate pull toward specific people.

I realized that people are more wary after dark; I can't blame them for that. Also, by the end of the day they have probably already done what they were going to do. In the middle of the day, it may save them some effort. After dark, maybe not so much.

I would probably still feel guilty not taking sandwiches at night at this point, but I will figure that out the next time it comes up.

That was the one time I did not immediately see other people who could use a sandwich after I gave out my supply.

Anyway, I think this illustrates what I was trying to say last week.

This was the inspiration that I had. It's a small, not life-changing thing. It wouldn't necessarily work for everyone else. You don't figure it out all at once. 

When you get those ideas, take those seriously.

Don't be discouraged by the work that is remaining. You cannot do it all, but the more people who are doing something, the more that is done.  

It really does matter. A sandwich is one meal; no one's life has been made lastingly better. However, at least one of them seemed close to starving or had really low blood sugar or something. I was able to see him after he had eaten and he had really perked up.

Maybe it was just being seen as a human, which doesn't happen nearly enough. 

Find what you can do and then do it.