It’s easy to forget that we all have a story.
I got reminded of that fact today, and I am so grateful.
I have been away from my beloved “Little Yellow Free Pantry” for about 2 months and I really missed it. It was in great hands, neighbors kept it stocked and well taken care of. But I missed checking it, filling it, and most importantly, interacting with people who stop to get groceries out of it.
So today when I saw someone getting food from the pantry, I was super excited to go out and chat. There are some regular visitors that I know and I can grab them their groceries from the basement supply without needing to ask what they are hungry for because I can predict. But today’s visitor was someone new – I had never seen him before. Extra exciting!
I went out and said hello and the visitor seemed open and kind. We began a conversation right away. He said that his buddies live nearby and they told him how “awesome our house was” or something like that. That made me smile – we came highly recommended – 5 stars!! I explained that the food in the pantry was just a small sample of what is in the storage area inside – all donated by neighbors – and asked what he was hungry for, I would go make him a bag. That question, what was he hungry for, surprised him. “Hmmm, I never really thought about that,” he replied.
In my world, my privileged white middle-class world, you eat what you are hungry for. But in reality, many Americans eat what is available. He smiled and told me that he liked to eat healthy. I noticed the choices he had made from the pantry had all been healthy – rice, beans, tuna, an Indian dish, a box of non-sugary cereal… I turned to go get him more supplies and he stopped me.
It turns out, more than the food, I think he wanted to connect. To talk. And honestly, isn’t that what we all want??
So, we talked. Well, mostly he talked, and I listened. I heard about his background – birthplace, moving around, locations… But when he got to the most recent location – a tent in Washington DC – I realized that this man’s story was very different than mine, and very intriguing. He told me that he is currently staying at friends’ homes because his tent in DC had been burned down recently.
Burned down. His tent with most of his possessions inside.
He didn’t seem angry or bitter. He was quite matter of fact about it. He told me that those tent cities can get dangerous.
Then we talked about HIM. Turns out he is an artist. He just signed on to paint part of a big mural in DC. He chose to paint 3 bright colored parrots for the mural and explained the significance and how the work will fit into the community.
I asked if his art supplies had been lost in the fire. Some had, but some had already been replaced by a kind artist friend. And another person took him shopping yesterday and bought him a new wardrobe because his clothes and shoes in the tent had been burned.
As I packed his grocery bag from the supplies inside, I put in 2 small canvases I had. I love art, and it was clear he was a creator. I brought everything out and showed him the canvases. “Can we make a deal?” I asked. I explained that I was hosting a Kindness Yard Sale next month, and that all of the money raised would be used to spread kindness. I pointed to the pantry and told him that some of the money raised at last year’s sale was used to get supplies to build the pantry! But before I could get to my ask, he interrupted. “Want me to donate a painting??”. YESSS! That is exactly what I had hoped. I held out the small canvases and asked if he could paint one of them and donate it for the sale. When he heard the sale is in about 3 weeks he asked if he could donate an already finished piece instead. “Sure!!” I replied.
Off he went down the street to his friend’s house to get it. When I saw him standing on our front porch with it a few minutes later, I was in awe. I had given him 2 tiny blank canvases. He had given ME his story. His art. On a huge canvas almost as big as me! My jaw dropped and I was silent a moment.
In the end I told him that I may have a hard time auctioning this piece for the Kindness Yard Sale. It might be hard for me to let it go. “Do what you would like with it,” he told me with a warm smile. He had painted much of it in his tent in DC and had taken it out of there a couple of days before the tent was destroyed.
So yeah, we all have a story. Stop and listen to someone’s. I promise you will come away with a better understanding of the world and how we all fit into it. And how, even with all of our differences, we are more alike than we know.
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