The anniversary of my mom dying is coming up on the 17th. Instead doing what I've done the past two years (sit around depressed and crying or ignore it completely) I want to do something different.
If you are new to the blog and don't know the story read it here.
My mom had a "thing" for homeless people. While most people ignore them or get angry when they see them she had an extreme soft spot for them. She volunteered at a homeless shelter, she would donate clothes and she volunteered at a soup kitchen.
I do not have a "thing" for homeless people (guess I take after my dad). I'm one of those people that ignores them, unless they say hi when I'm walking downtown by my work, I always say hi back, because that would just be rude. But I would never start up a conversation with a homeless person on my own. I never give anyone money on the side of the road, the most I've done ever is give a man that claimed to be a veteran a bottle of water because he looked liked it was going to die from heat stroke! It's too hot to stand on corners of the street in FL!
My original idea was to make cookies, put them in individual bags, put some sort of verse/poem or saying on the bag and hand them out to the homeless people by my work. I would have to convince someone else (probably my friend at work) to help me out and I'd want to do it during my lunch break on the 17th. I want to do it on the actual anniversary, which is why I can't volunteer at a homeless shelter or anything because I do have to work that day.
But do homeless people really need a cookie? Then I think that maybe that's the point. People are always trying to give them things they NEED, maybe a little treat would be good. I also happen to make some of the best chocolate chip cookies!
What do you all think?
I think that wanting to do something on the anniversary of your mom's death rather than be depressed is a wonderful idea. I think it would also make your mom feel good to know that her actions did have an impact on you. Not that you're going to turn into an advocate for the homeless or something, but that what she did has made you think about them a little more.
ReplyDeleteThe cookies are a sweet gesture. I like the idea of the message with the cookie, but to be honest, I'm concerned that your gesture might not be appreciated by all the homeless. Most people are perfectly fine but I would hate for anything to happen should you hand one to someone who is particularly angry or something. Maybe you could just take the cookies to a shelter instead. I would personally feel safer doing it that way. If you had several people to go with you, it would probably be fine to hand them out on the street.
Whatever you decide to do, you are honoring your mom's memory in a very special way and I think she would be proud.