food for thought
We are coming off a year of heartaches. We’re all friends here; let’s not pretend that 2020 was anything but excruciating at worst, and intensely mediocre at best. For me, it was a bizarre year of watching each of my closest girlfriends walk through the most challenging storms of their lives (in the midst of a pandemic, no less). Unable to help in any tangible way, I could only offer love and support. Sometimes food.
Bee helping our very own Whit on the day she shaved her head after her first round of chemo. Photo Credit: @travlincphoto
I have a feeling I’m not alone. With the sickness and loss that has plagued our communities over the last year, those of us who are still able to help might be wondering how. Here is what I’ve learned: when people are in the midst of tragedy, wondering how to move forward, the last thing they remember to do is eat. There is no room to process thoughts like “what should we do for dinner?” or “did I remember to thaw the chicken?” or even something as simple as “I’m hungry.” This basic life necessity no longer feels so basic. This is where a community can really step up with a good old fashioned meal chain. Casseroles for dayssss. (When my mom broke her leg back in ‘01, I swear we had chicken spaghetti casserole for a whole month. It was awful. So about the casserole: please don’t do it--sometimes it’s better just to go hungry…I’m KIDDING. But really.)
Look, a modern meal chain is not so complicated. We all have smartphones and meal delivery apps. If you’re the organizer, find a dozen or so restaurants nearby. Assign a restaurant to each willing participant, send the menu link, a date & time, and the address of the family in need. If you still want to cook your own meal (a casserole, perhaps?), then good on you! But be prepared to drop it off at the door, without feeling the need to say hi or make small talk. Grieving people shouldn’t feel obligated to share their energy with you--they have so little already. Lastly, if nothing else, a gift card will always do the trick.
Life has many seasons. The bad days will not last forever. But to get through them, we must eat...and what are we here for, if not to fill each other up?
