Hunger Is Not a Disease

Forgiveness

Forgiveness

In the food pantry, forgivenes is as necessary as groceries.  Opportunities to experience forgiveness pop up like dandelions on a spring lawn.

And, forgiveness, like those dandelions, finds its own time.

Forgiveness doesn’t undo the damage.  It doesn’t mean the person who wronged you is going to become your new best friend.

You’re not going to crawl in bed with that person.  You aren’t even going to have to do anything with that person at all.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean you win.  Nor does it mean you get away with anything.

You don’t forgive someone for them.  It’s not about what they did. You  forgive a person for your peace of mind and inner calm so a better, more positive lifestyle can emerge.

Forgiveness means moving on with less baggage.  The pain heals because forgiveness sets us free.  Go forgiveness!

Forgiveness is an intensely personal experience involving your  physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional body.

When a person forgives somebody, frustration and grudges leave it through the thoracic region of the spine as a rush of hot wind.  I sometimes feel this happening during a Reiki healing session.

Miracles and forgiveness go hand in hand.  Asking for forgiveness invites a blessing because of the spiritual shift happening.

In the food pantry, a volunteer gives away the food.  When you can’t give food away without strings, scorekeeping taints everything.

Food pantry shoppers and volunteers remake their lives when forgiveness erases anger, awful memories, feeling harmed.

“That person lives in Shandaken.  He shouldn’t even be here.”

“You’re serving entirely too much food to these people.  You can’t do that.”

“You shouldn’t feed fresh produce to these people.”

“You’re serving too many people.”

“You’re serving all the wrong people here.”

“You don’t feed this kind of food to these people.  If they’re hungry enough, they’ll eat anything.”

“Are you sure the people in the line really need the food?”

“Those cell phones are expensive.  How can they afford the fancy cell phones and still get free food?”

“How can you keep people from cheating?”

When shame, guilt, and disappointment move on, they separated the future from my past.  Otherwise, these negative emotions would have defined my future.

The whole thing is a process.  The first step prepared me to forgive someone else as well as myself.

After all, I needed  to forgive myself.

Forgiveness doesn’t happen the moment a person says “I’m sorry.”  Apologies and acceptances don’t create forgiving.

With the forgiveness process, I got to know myself better.  Enough time passed so that I acted differently.  It’s easier to forgive somebody when you come from a different place.

When this happened, I realized I wasn’t a victim anymore.  Right away, I wanted to stay in this new place.  So, I moved in here.

I discovered the old normal was gone when I felt lighter.

I wanted to smile more.  I was surprised to learn about this place.  The old fear of the building committee reduced itself to nothing.

I still knew the risk of losing the pantry was genuine but now I wasn’t a fear victim.

Forgiveness waited until the time was right, just like the dandelions.

Grandpa Woodstock

I saw him pushing his cart through Mower’s Meadow Flea Market today.  Grandpa looks as good as he always did.  It was as if the cops never threw him in the slam.

His adorable little black short-haired Chihuahua mix rides on his colorful cart eating stinky cheese bits he gives her whenever Grandpa wants to show her off.

He entertains tourists with his peace sign, his open smile, and his colorful cart.  This particular little Chihuahua adds to the picture.

Although Grandpa Woodstock isn’t a scheduled tour bus stop in town, people come from all over to catch a glimpse and take photos of him smiling.  His dog, his cart, and his peace sign add even more color to the scene.

Grandpa Woodstock is worth the trip.  He’s a master street theater artist.  Frankly, they just don’t come better than Grandpa.

Tourists find him to get a picture taken with him and buy an autographed photo from him.

Coffee at Bread Alone, a meal at Maria’s, a necklace at Gwen’s Gems, a find at Mower’s Meadow Flea Market, an ice cream at Taco Juan’s and a Grandpa sighting are on the bucket list of fun things to do in Woodstock.  For many, a Grandpa sighting is first on the list.

I’m grateful to see him up close, and I sigh a quiet, hidden sign of relief when he smiles.

These days I look for what I call the forgiveness smile.  People have a unique smile when they release small hills or even huge mountains of baggage.  Grandpa’s got it.  Go Grandpa!

– – – – – – – – – – – –

Nancy

“I’ve got my whole live organized…finally!  I’ve got it down to three boxes.” she explained.

“See my first box:  I’ve got five outfits in it.  And, one of them is good.  There’s even a pair of boots and a bottle of tick spray here.

“My second box is the bathroom box.  It’s got soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and a kazillion plastic bags.  And, Look, here’s the toilet paper I got out in the hallway a few minutes ago.”

“And, see, this is my third box.”

I saw a soup pot, a 2-quart saucepan for veggies, and cooking the eggs she always picked up in the pantry.  I saw canned goods, and I saw something else our pantry rarely offered:  paper towels.

Nothing was frivolous.  There’s no room for frivolity as one’s life dwindles to three boxes.

Forgiveness is sometimes an internal, hidden experience.  Without the forgiveness smile, it’s difficult to impossible to know when a person practices forgiveness.

By default, I sometimes know who didn’t because I see anger and a stuck life in a person’s face.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

LeAnna

“I’m so sorry I’m late today.  I promise, promise, promise not to do this again.  I was over at the pet store unloading dog food.  Christie and Fraidy were entirely out of food, but now I have a big bag of kibble for them!”

“LeAnna,” I replied.  “It was nothing.  Christie and Fraidy are part of your family.”

Thank you for reading this article.  Please forward it to your preferred social media network.-

Share it with a friend.

Check out some of the YouTube videos.  If you liked this article, you may be interested in an interview with Salvador Altimarana-Segura

This quote was taken directly from him.  You can purchase a T-shirt with this quote at www.thurmangreco.com.

Please check out the YouTube channels at:

Thurman Greco

Let’s Live with Thurman Greco

Take This Bread with Thurman Greco.

Dr. Catherine Ponder wrote several powerful prayers about forgiveness.  .She wrote books about healing, abundance, and forgiveness.  You can find her on facebook and her own website.

A Labor Day Celebration at the Reservoir Food Pantry – and, an Open House on the 11th!

While many of us in the area are out celebrating summer’s last weekend, the volunteers at Reservoir Food Pantry are  celebrating as well…but in a different way.

THE PANTRY OPENS AT 2 P.M. ON MONDAYS,  HOLIDAY OR NOT.   We celebrate a Monday holiday by offering food to hungry people who do not otherwise have the funds to get the food.

This particular week in September is always an expensive one because not only are our shoppers trying to buy food for upcoming school lunches, they are out scrounging for school supplies and school clothes for the children.  It’ll soon be time for sweaters and coats.

Prasida drove to Latham  Friday for the produce.

OTHER FRESH FOOD IS  DONATED, AS ON EVERY OTHER WEEK,  BY MIGLIORELLI FARM, BREAD ALONE BAKERY,  SHANDAKEN GARDENS ABD HUGUENOT STREET FARM .

,Volunteers at the Reservoir Food Pantry usually serve about 50 families and households on Monday afternoons.  They serve an equal number of homebound households  on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Food for Tuesday’s deliveries to homebound and senior neighbors is  packed on Mondays at the end of the pantry shift.  Distribution  continues on Tuesdays and Fridays.

We’re celebrating our first anniversary on September 11th between 4 and 7.  Please come join us.  See our new pantry.  It’s in an adorable barn located behind Robert’s Auction in Boiceville at 4073 Route 28.  As someone recently said “You’re STILL open!”

Yes, we’re STILL open!

JOIN  IN THE FESTIVITIES!

The Reservoir Food Pantry is now accepting volunteers to deliver food to  homebound households and seniors in the area.  A route delivery person is needed in the Olivebridge area.  If you are interested, please call 845-399-3967.

If you want to support the Reservoir Food Pantry but cannot volunteer, you are invited to send a donation to P.O.Box 245, Boiceville, NY, 12412.  Please make the check out to Reservoir Food Pantry.

We thank you in advance for your support of the Reservoir Food Pantry.

Peace and food for all.

Please share this article on your preferred social network.

Leave a comment.

Don’t forget to join my mailing list.

Thurman Greco

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You to Everyone Who Helps Out

Pantry HND1

THE RESERVOIR FOOD PANTRY OPENED LAST SEPTEMBER 9, 2013, TO VERY LITTLE FANFARE.    As we approach our one-year anniversary, I am amazed at the number of people we are serving.  We offer food  weekly behind Robert’s Auction on Monday afternoons at 2:00.  We deliver food to one senior community on Tuesdays.  We deliver food to another community on Fridays.  In between, volunteers deliver food to homebound individuals in the area.

Our success is the result of much thought, work, and planning on the part of the volunteers, and generosity on the part of area residents who provide food and funds whenever asked.

AS A NEW PANTRY IN THE FOOD BANK SYSTEM, WE’RE CONTINUALLY BUYING FOOD, GASOLINE, REPAIRS, OFFICE SUPPLIES, INSURANCE.    We cannot ever, not in our wildest dreams, provide this much food to this many hungry people without the support of those around us .

You, our friends and neighbors, open your wallets and kitchen cabinets every time we ask.

Monthly, pantry volunteers stand at the entrance to the Kingston Walmart for three days asking for food and/or money to feed the hungry.  The generosity of the Walmart employees allowing us to solicit for funds and the generosity of the store shoppers responding to our plea is mind boggling.  We will be standing in front of the Walmart today, Thursday, and Friday.

EVERY OTHER MONTH, WE’RE OUTSIDE THE BOICEVILLE IGA ASKING FOR FOOD.   People are always very generous to our plea.

We receive weekly food donations from Bread Alone, Migliorelli’s, and Shandaken Gardens.

I CANNOT EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE ANY MORE PLAINLY THAN THIS:    without your help, our pantry cannot exist.

Thank you.

Peace and food for all.

Thurman Greco

Bread Alone, the Women of the Woodstock Jewish Congregation, and the Food Pantry

bread alone

The women volunteers of the Woodstock Jewish Congregation went out to the Bread Alone Bakery in Boiceville and returned with bread each week when it was their tour in the pantry.  After the third tour, Neshama, a volunteer, came up to me quietly.

“Thurman, our tour is finished here next week.  If you’ll send a car out each Wednesday, you can continue to get this bread.  Show up at Boiceville at 4:45 and you’ll get everything you need.”  With that statement, Neshama melted into the background.  I never even got to really properly thank her for this gift.  What a Mitzvah!’

I called Ann King.  “Hey Ann, can you help me out here?  You’re connected with Bread Alone.  Can you go out and get bread for us on Wednesdays?”

“Of course, I love to.  When do you want me to start?  I’ll call out there and get the ball rolling.”  To me, Ann King is the single most connected person in Woodstock.

After that, every Wednesday, Ann went out to Bread Alone in Boiceville with Prasida and returned with Vanessa totally packed with bread.  The haul included baguettes, sliced loaves in plastic bags, enormous loaves sold by weight in the stores, small specialty rolls, ciabattas, French loaves, sourdough loaves, sesame loaves, multi-grained loaves.  One week we did a cost analysis and the conservative total retail value of this weekly donation was $900.  The annual total value of this donation came to over $43,000.

Thank you to everyone at Bread Alone for your generosity.  Although I don’t know how many pantries exactly that Bread Alone donates bread to, my bet is that the number is large.  My feeling is that this bakery feeds the hungry in the whole area.

ASTOUNDING.

Thank you for reading this blog/book.

Please share this article with your preferred social network.

Please send a comment.

Peace and food for all.

GNP15

 

Thurman Greco