It’s November. Seriously–it’s freakin’ NOVEMBER! Wasn’t it just December 31, 2017? Didn’t we JUST ring in the New Year? I swear, every year time seems to speed up. Why is that? I really wish it would SLOW the heck down! One of my coworkers at my last job told me around the same time of year as now, while I was probably saying this exact thing to her, that she had read somewhere the older you get the faster time seems to go because more of your life is over and you have less time left. You are probably sitting there after reading that with the exact same expression on your face that I had on mine–my jaw was somewhat dropped, I was just staring (or more like glaring) at her, and I pretty much said, “Gee, thanks for that uplifting thought”. Rather than going with her theory (which is probably correct, but a tad too depressing for me), I will go with mine which is pretty much me just blaming it on my children…..they have us running here, there and everywhere, and as a result everything just becomes a blur. (And as an aside, I also blame their running me ragged for my lack of time to dedicate to writing–hence, only two blog posts in a year and a half).
Anyway, it’s November and we just wrapped up another season of Turkey sales. (and if you didn’t order one, I am so sorry–your Thanksgiving dinner is just not going to be as delicious and juicy as those of us who did order one!
) Which of course means that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I try to be thankful all year long for everything that I have been blessed with. But at this time of year, especially, I find myself reflecting on all that I do truly have to be thankful for–as I am sure most of you do too.
This time of year is also a great time to consider giving back to the community. Giving back is so much more than just a tax deduction (although that is a nice bonus). Giving back is a way to find a greater appreciation for what you have. And giving back helps those who are not as fortunate as we are have things to be grateful for as well.
Tom and I have four kids. I often joke that I am writing a book titled “I Refuse to Raise an A**hole”. Technically, I did start writing it one night when one of my children was being just that, a total a**hole. However, the speed of time has completely derailed my efforts and I was only able to pen about a page worth of a manuscript. My approach to parenting is just that–I absolutely refuse to allow my kids to grow up to be jerks. If it kills me (and it may very well do just that), I will raise them to be productive members of society who do NOT think the world revolves around them. As we now have two teenagers in the house, this sometimes seems to be an absolutely impossible feat, but I am determined. And one of the things that I do think will help me accomplish my goal is my belief in, and dedication to, giving back.
To illustrate my point about how giving back can help me raise decent human beings, let me tell you a story. There is an organization local to us that was started by a family from Yorktown (our hometown and base of Hudson Milk) called United for the Troops. Their story is simple and beautiful–their son was serving in the military and they would send him care packages. He told them he would share what they sent with his unit because many of his buddies never received anything in the mail . Upon hearing this his parents just thought that was unacceptable and United for the Troops (UFT) was born. They put together a “wish list” of items that our troops overseas miss the most and they collect them from people throughout the community and beyond. Donations received are used to put together care packages that are shipped to our service men and women all over the globe. We have always donated to UFT as the schools in our district are all collection points. Then, a couple of years ago I was able to sign myself and my daughter up to participate in their annual “Packing Day”, which takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving. What an amazing event. To see the amount of donations they receive and to see all the people there who want to help–it was an incredible experience. Here is a picture I took that day—this was when we were sorting out donations, prior to packing:
During this event I noticed a couple hours in that my daughter was just scrolling through her phone and starting with her 13 year-old attitude of wanting to be anywhere but there. To say I was getting frustrated with her would be a huge understatement. I tried to explain to her that what we were doing was so very important–there are men and women thousands of miles from home, putting their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and we have an opportunity to do something in return for them. An opportunity to help bring them something that lets them know we care and appreciate them. An opportunity to bring a smile to their face. And as I watched her nod her head and look at her phone I realized she could care a less what we were doing. UGH–teenagers! At that point we broke for lunch. They brought all volunteers into the cafeteria for pizza and they played a video. A very powerful video. A video that showed our troops overseas, in the desert, so far from home. It also showed our service men and women receiving these boxes–you could see the joy these boxes brought. This video clicked with my kid–she left the cafeteria with a whole new attitude. The power of giving back. She realized that what she was doing could help make a difference to someone else. It was amazing to see the transformation.
This year we will once again be attending Packing Day–Tom, our daughter, our 13 year old son and I are looking forward to it. This is but one service opportunity we will participate in. For smaller kids (our younger two are 8 and 10), it’s harder to find opportunities, but not impossible. Through our church and through Cub Scouts we have been able to get them out there giving back–to the Veterans, to community food pantries and to the school. I do hope that these experiences are having an impact on them.
I encourage everyone to find an opportunity to give back to their community. Find something that you are passionate about, identify a need, and then go for it. There are so many wonderful organizations that need help in many ways (not just monetarily–although donations are always needed and appreciated): veteran’s organizations (the V.A. in Montrose, My Brother Vinny, United for the Troops), Food Pantries (Feeding Westchester along with so many community food pantries), Agriculture/Horticulture Organizations (Westchester Land Trust, Muscoot Farm, Hilltop Hanover Farm, Stone Barns), Civic Organizations (Scouts, Local Women’s Resource Centers/Shelters, SPCA), and of course your children’s schools–the PTA always needs help! There are a ton of opportunities–go find one. You will be glad you did!
In the spirit of the season, Hudson Milk would like to provide an opportunity to all our customers to help us give back. We are hoping to sponsor several families in our area for the holidays who are going through hard times. We are currently working out the details, and hope to post more information soon on our Facebook Page or our website.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving–take time to reflect on all that you have to be truly thankful for. And wishing you a joyous holiday, whatever it is that you celebrate (because in all reality, the odds of me finding time to write another blog post between now and the end of the year are not good!). Peace!