Before I met him, for example, I didn't know what the greater omentum was. I didn't know that a Gibson J-45 is my favorite-sounding acoustic guitar. I didn't know what it was like to drink a Bitburger in Bitburg. And I had no idea whatsoever that the maitre d' at Sanctuary is one of my favorite strangers in Minneapolis.
I learned all of these things because Waffle Guy is extraordinarily generous in spirit. He shares all the time, with all kinds of people. He shares what he knows, what he has, what he does. Because of his unwavering propensity to give, I can see possibilities I'd never imagined before. I see the world from a different place, now that I know him. I couldn't be luckier.
Sometimes, I'm reminded again of this wonderful aspect of his personality. For example, the other day I was struggling with some stuff that life has thrown my way in the past few weeks. I felt disheartened and icky and sad, and I told Waffle Guy that I just wanted to do something that would make me feel like I was spending my time on something good. I asked him what he thought about "adopting a family" for the holidays.
Of course, Waffle Guy agreed, and so we got in touch with an incredible organization called People Serving People. They run a large shelter that provides transitional housing for children and their families who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets. The shelter provides a safe, sober environment in which families are able to rebuild lives that have been interrupted by any number of terrible, traumatic events.
People Serving People actually sent me a list of families from which we could choose. It was gut-wrenching to pick just a family, and so I asked my daughters for their input. They decided that they'd like to help kids their own ages, and so they selected a family comprised of a 29-year-old mother and her three young children. I'm elated.
It's like I've been given a magic wand, and I can wave it, and for just a few minutes life might feel better for someone. I have the first names and ages of the family members on a sheet of paper in my pocket, and I've been thinking hard about what to give to them.
I've also been thinking hard about the other families on the list.
One, in particular, stood out. A 43-year-old woman has two teenaged sons and a pre-teen daughter. I wonder if it's harder for teenaged kids to adapt to life in a shelter than for younger children, who so readily roll with the punches. I wonder if we picked right.
I don't know anything about this family except for their first names and ages, and that they're homeless. But I can't stop thinking about those kids. It's hard enough to be a teenager. They're forever comparing themselves to everyone else. Other kids can be mean. Under the best of circumstances, it's so hard to feel like you measure up. Can you imagine what it would feel like to navigate that, without even a home in which to find sanctuary?
I've thought about it, and decided I want to try an experiment. It's risky, because it will either reinforce or dent my faith in humanity, but I want to give it a whirl.
I want to use my social network to adopt that family. If you live in the Twin Cities, and you're in my online sphere, and it seems like it would feel good to you, would you commit to purchasing one gift for either a teenaged boy or an 11-year-old girl?
I'd love nothing more than to send an email to People Serving People to tell them that a few more kids might feel the warmth of possibility for a few minutes on Christmas.
What if a little collective generosity of spirit could remind these kids that one's view of the world can change?
Email me if you're in at wafflequest2009 (at) gmail (dot) com.
No pressure, friends. Just thought I'd see anyone else wanted to make the magic wand a little bit bigger.
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