Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Eye-opening Experience - Maggie Kenney

I have never wondered what it is like to be hungry and nor have I not known where my next meal is coming from. Today while I worked in the Saint Bernards Community Center I saw firsthand what it was like to feel these things. Meg Hawkins and I spent the great majority of our afternoon inside the trailer of the woman who took care of giving away donated clothes. She was possibly one of the kindest people I have ever met. She began to tell Meg and I her story after Hurricane Katrina hit. She told us this whole area, including her house, was under six feet of water, which even after three years of experience down in New Orleans and seeing ample documentaries, I still cannot fathom. Their houses were gone and families were ripped apart from all that was normal, and yet she still sat in front of me, grateful and appreciative for the clothes on her back and the people she was with.

Later on, towards the end of the day, I helped a limping man carry his groceries to his truck outside of the center. He thanked me so many times I lost count and I could see how happy and grateful he was with me just simply being present and helping him with his bags.

 I have been through a lot for just a seventeen year old. Enough that I am I aware I shouldn't take things for granted, but despite that, I do all the time. Seeing those people so happy and glad with the simple things, the clothes that had on their back and the food they needed for the week ahead, I really saw that I don't recognize how nice I have it. And despite all their suffering they still manage to smile and be so kind to complete strangers.

I am grateful for the expereicne I had today, for it was eyeopening, and really did remind of what is important in life, and that those things, that are so important, are also overlooked.

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