Last night I volunteered my time (and money) to a great organization that delivers food to starving children in 70 countries. How cool is that? So, my son and 3 of his friends donated 1.5 hours of our time to pack food for this mission. In addition to that, I donated $52 to the cause. 52 weird number. But that's how much one box of Manna Pack food costs. That one box of food contains
216 meals. That really hit me...hard. Do you know how quickly I can burn through $52? A hair cut. Gas for my car. A meal for my husband and me at a nice restaurant. Yes -
TWO meals can be purchased for that same $52 that can feed 216 people. I should be ashamed of myself instead of proud of myself for donating. Ashamed that Friday night I'll spend that same amount of money for 2 meals. Ugh. What a hypocrite. I'm struggling. I do try to live my life the MOGO way (most good/least harm - which incidentally is a great book by Zoe Weil). But reminders like this should be given to everyone.
Living a life of hypocrisy is a daily struggle for me as I work in the world of advertising. Helping clients spend thousands of dollars to promote products/services to customers who may or may not actually
need the item they're selling and may or may not have money to buy it - but they're sure to
want it at the end of the day. And they'll spend their $52 on it.
So as I make dinner reservations for a double date on Friday at a 'nice' restaurant, I will continue to do my part to help others get a meal. Including, the homeless veteran who I pass every night on the way home from work. Even if he really isn't homeless.
Pay it forward.
J
http://www.fmsc.org/
