FISH

I was volunteering at the FISH food bank the other day and wondered why more of the poor and hungry in Knox County did not use the food bank. It occurred to me after a few moments of thought that perhaps the price for the help was too high. Not in terms of money. The food is free. Nothing is required from anyone who comes and gets food. You have to be a resident of Knox County and you indicate without proof that you meet the income guidelines. No donation, no prayers, no going to church. All you have to do is walk up to the door and lay down your pride. Think about it. What are the hardest things to say? I'm sorry. I was wrong. I need help. The world opens up when we are able to utter those sentences.

When you stand on the side processing the requests the most difficult thing is being nonjudgmental. I don't know why they got in the position they are in. Drugs, alcohol, abusive parents, no parents, accident, illness, bad luck, it could be any one of a million things. My reponsibility is simply to prepare the food order for their size family and hand it to them. When I wonder about what happened to bring them there I redirect my mind to two things. First, they have humbled themselves and given up their pride. Second, but for luck and grace that could be me.