A Thanksgiving Surprise

Have you ever made something out of nothing?

That’s what we did, and it was amazing.

Years ago, about this time, I was completing a six-month experiential training class. On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, my group of about 12 people were given the task of creating a Thanksgiving meal for a needy family without using any money of our own. We were to rely solely on the generosity of others. The trainer had divided Salt Lake City into geographical areas, so that other groups wouldn’t compete with one another who were assigned to accomplish the same goal. Once we found the family and delivered the meal, we were to write a poem about our experience. Then we were to report back to the training center in five hours to report on our experience and to read the poem.

We loaded into cars and set off to our area. Once we arrived, we decided to separate into two groups. One group would visit all the supermarkets or other businesses in our area. The other group, of which I was a part, went to the residential area and went door-to-door explaining what we were trying to do and asking for any assistance that people felt moved to provide.

Not long after we started, we knocked on the door of a single Mom and her two children. She invited us inside because of the cold. We explained that we were trying to create a Thanksgiving feast for a family in need. She went to her cupboard and upon opening it, we saw four cans. She took two cans of chicken broth from the cupboard. Handing them to me, she said, “Hopefully this will help. It is all I have right now.” We visited for a while, and then left. Outside her small home, we all looked at one another. One member of the group phoned the others who were going store-to-store. “We found our family.” she exclaimed.

Four hours later we all met up to tally what we had gathered. The markets and stores had donated a turkey, steaks, fresh vegetables, pies, bread, rolls, salad, and all kinds of fruit. Other businesses had given cash, which we used to purchase what we needed to furnish the feast. All told, we gather 15 boxes of canned goods, and all the fresh food we needed for the meal, plus another $400 in cash that was left over. Off we went to our family.

I knocked on her door. The young woman answered again, and asked, “Did you forget something?” “No, we just wanted to you to have all that we have gathered us for you!”

Immediately, she dropped to her knees and began to sob. She explained that her husband had run off six months previously and had divorced her from afar. Now all alone, she was doing the best she could to provide for her young family.

We brought in the food and filled all of her cupboards and her refrigerator. After putting it all away, she hugged everyone of us before we left.

On the way back to the training center, I wrote the poem. During the debrief of the experience with all 100 plus participants, we learned that everyone had been successful in providing for a family in need. We were humbled by those that we served and by those who freely had rendered assistance and support in what we were trying to accomplish.

Years later, this remains one of the most memorable of all the Thanksgiving holidays I have ever experienced. It is a great reminder that true joy comes in the service of others.

So, during this Thanksgiving Week, I challenge you to do any of the following 10 things to increase your joy in the season and renew your love of humanity.

1. Speak a greeting or acknowledge someone that you don’t know every day with a smile on your face.
2. Express appreciation to someone at home or at work for something that they have done or do on a regular basis. Do it every day for a week.
3. Do something for someone else that they cannot do for themselves.
4. Share something with a neighbor—a fresh loaf of bread, a pie, a cake or other treat with a card that expresses your gratitude for them.
5. Take an empty journal and every day write down 100 things that you are grateful for seven days straight.
6. Buy some single roses. Take a friend, your spouse, or some children and visit the local assisted living facility. Give the flower to an older person, ask them about their life, and just take a few moments to listen to them.
7. Reach out to family members via phone and wish them a wonderful Thanksgiving. Pay attention to those that you don’t often speak with and take the time to connect with them.
8. Go work in the local soup kitchen for one meal.
9. If you have the means, take some cash and wander around the local grocery store. Notice who seems to need a little attention and appreciation. Give the cash away.  You might even tip some of the grocery personnel. They usually don’t make more than minimum wage.
10. Think of those you may know who are homebound or shut in. Go visit them. Tell them you were thinking of them and decided to drop by for a moment.

Whatever you do, look to do something that forces you to get outside of yourself, to extend yourself, to forget yourself, and to focus on others.

Let me know what you do, and how it goes.

Happy Thanksgiving!