Blessings

Because my company is vacating some of its office space in Seattle, I have spent much time this week gathering and donating office supplies with my coworkers. Yesterday we delivered to a local school in Seattle that is the lowest income school in the district. We delivered over 100 boxes of paper, pencils, file folders etc. There was a very nice man who I assume is the custodian who helped us carry all of the boxes into the school. We had said in passing that it was such a waste to have all of these extra supplies just sitting around. His response was "It's a blessing to us". He's right. As employees, we take for granted that every day we can find a pen or a pad of paper. But at his school, they can't assume that those basic needs will be there every day and they are extremely grateful that we could help change that.

This week I also had the chance to bring a meal to a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer and thyroid cancer last fall. She is actually a friend of a friend and we have only met a couple of times. She thanked me for bringing the food and we talked for quite awhile. She told me how grateful her family was for all of the meals that have been prepared for them. We had meals brought to us from July to November through chemo and radiation last year by many caring friends and family. I told her that I was grateful to be able to pay it forward. I realized that something as simple as preparing a meal for someone is a real blessing. When you are healthy you take for granted that you can prepare your own meals or even prepare one for someone else. But when you are battling cancer or any other major illness, you just can't take it for granted that you will be able to provide this basic need for your family let alone provide it for someone else.

I realized in both cases, delivering school supplies and a meal, that as humbling as it was to have to accept help all through my treatment, it is a blessing to be able to give that help right back.