Fishing for Gratitude

This week, it was my privilege to volunteer to deliver food for our church’s food pantry, FISH.  This was a good thing, as I’ve been somewhat down lately.  As we all know, caregiving for a person with Parkinson’s is not for the faint of heart.  Daily demands add up, and some days I do not feel up to the task.  Lack of sleep makes each day challenging.

Then a day comes along like last Thursday.  Even on our worst days, George and I know we have plenty (sometimes too much) to eat.  That is not so for those families that FISH serves.  These families rely on more than 100 FISH volunteers for survival.  I left our house that morning, in worry and fear about George’s condition; but our fridge and pantry were full.  Upon my return, I realized that I had delivered a few loaves and canned goods to alleviate hunger for a little while; but, I gained so much more than I gave those families.  I forgot about my worries and fears and was grateful for all the blessings that God has given us.

Yesterday’s Gospel lesson recounted the time when Jesus fed the multitudes.  Miraculously, five barley loaves and two fish fed more than 5000 people.  Afterward, Jesus walked on the sea which terrified the disciples.  Jesus said to them:  “It is I; do not be afraid.”

Parkinson’s Disease creates fear and trembling, both literally and figurately.  The person with Parkinson’s, as well as his or her caregiver, struggles with maintaining an optimistic outlook.  And, I am reminded of the immortal words of Franklin D. Roosevelt who, in encouraging Americans to pull out of the Great Depression, said:  “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Our society today has many hungry people.  How are they to be fed?  they require spiritual as well as physical food.  Material things can feed the body, but only love can feed the spirit.

My FISH experience helped me to set aside fear and anxiety for a time.  Focusing on the needs of others has a way of doing that.  Go and love someone today!