The Ability to Provide: An Email from a Reader

Last week I received an email from a reader named Katie. I was so touched by what she shared that I asked her if I could share her email on Grateful Brand.

This is what she wrote:


I wanted to say hi and say thanks for creating your blog. Today I am thankful for the ability to provide.

There is a woman that hangs out in our neighborhood. She's definitely homeless and I'm pretty sure that she has some type of mental disorder. Over the past year, I've noticed her and tried to say hello or take notice as I could. Periodically, I've bought her bananas or cereal bars and left them near her things.

Today, I saw her things as I walked up to Trader Joe's and felt compelled to see if she was hungry (because I definitely was!) I found her in CVS and just directly approached her to ask if she was hungry and wanted something to eat. She said that she was and that it would "be lovely to have a sandwich". I said "no problem" and went about my grocery shopping. I ended up leaving her a sandwich, cereal bars, bananas, and electrolyte water, knowing well that she'd appreciate any of those things more than I would.

This is my long-winded way of saying that I'm very grateful to be able to provide. Not just to myself, my family, and my aspirations, but also to someone in need. For that, I am very grateful. Your blog is a great reminder to find these simple, but beautiful moments in the everyday.

Thanks for letting us share in it. And happy Friday!!

Yours,
Katie
 


We all have the ability to provide for others who are in need. For many, the understanding of what it means to provide equates to handing someone money. This sort of generosity is certainly appreciated and arguably necessary due to the sheer amount of need present in today's society, but Katie presents a unique example of taking the time and care to transcend monetary giving by not only giving this woman food, but giving her attention and care.

She may not have realized it in the moment, but by acknowledging this homeless woman respectfully as one person to another, Katie likely affirmed and bolstered her sense of self worth as a person and not just a homeless shadow. Even her choices of food reflect a concern for being healthy at a time of year when being homeless and having a weak immune system could very well lead to death.

I understand that there are varied ways in which people prefer to give. Imagine, though, if we all followed Katie's example and invested more care into the ways we gave. This world would be very different if we invested more of ourselves.

Thank you, Katie.

I am grateful for you.