How May We Be of Service Today?

So it’s Day 296 of the COVID-19 pandemic and we’re still shelter-social-distancing-in-place. I’m channeling my 9-year-old inner child and hoping everyone keeps their cooties far away from me.

What’s that? We’re nowhere close to the 296 day mark? You gotta be kiddin’ me, pal! (Now I’m channeling my old friend, Mrs. B!)

This stayin’ at home thing is a wee bit harder than I thought it would be.

But to keep myself occupied I’ve tried to find a few ways to be of service.

Some people – like my talented seamstress cousin – are sewing masks for hospital

and front-line workers. Some people are helping out their elderly neighbors by picking up food and supplies so the more vulnerable among us don’t have to risk their health.

And some people – like me – are trying to plant a few smiles.

I’ve been sending out cheery cards and newsy notes by the truckload. I’ve even sent cards to people I don’t know. I figured there must be residents in the assisted living/ memory care facility who are alone and lonely during this lockdown. So I’ve sent out cards to hopefully bring a smile to their face. At the very least, it might give them something to puzzle over:now just who is this Jane person and why is she sending me a card?

One day last week I was out at Big Lots and I was inspired to pick up a big yellow Easter basket. And then I quickly walked through the store filling it with treats for the residents at my mom’s memory care.

While I was at it, I also purchased some non-perishable food items and paper products for the staff at mom’s facility. Some of the workers there don’t get home until late and are having a difficult time finding the staples they need.

So Parkside sent out a note to our community asking for donations to their “pantry.” I happily filled a few bags, although – alas – I was unable to provide any of those much-sought-after packages of Charmin’.

But I felt good being able to do something to help.

And then a couple days ago a neighbor asked if we’d be willing to make twenty peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as a part of a church effort to feed the homeless. Normally, the group provides about 100 of these lunches, but the need has substantially increased so they were looking for 1000 bags.

So she put the word out and several neighbors stepped up to the PB&J plate, as it were.

While a thousand lunches sounds a tad bit overwhelming, twenty was nothin’ – so Vince and I got to work. We had an assembly line going the likes of which would have made Henry Ford himself proud. Well, if Henry Ford had needed an assembly line to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, that is.

We filled the paper bags and brought them over to our neighbor to distribute the next day.

And we went to bed that night feeling like we’d made a tiny little difference in someone’s life. Even if it was just for that one meal.

It’s never a bad thing to be of service to one another. And maybe we can even keep this effort going once our lives return to normal.  

In the meantime, I’ll be asking that question more frequently: how may I be of service today?