Fighting Hunger Feeding Hope

It has been exceedingly difficult to motivate myself to engage in much of anything. So far, 2021 feels like an even worse extension of 2020. Recently, a daily focus on wellness has consisted of simply getting through the day. Six days into 2021, our Capital in Washington DC was attacked. Our citizens have attacked our own capital! It is mind boggling. Between the pandemic and insurrection, it is so hard to focus on wellness or anything positive. It is painful to even admit that and put it in writing.

Not working has been both a blessing and a curse. I find myself missing the routine and structure of work days. When the week started, I was consumed with sadness and grief and at a loss for where to turn. A change was needed, I decided to research the San Antonio Food Bank. Many times I had considered it and just didn't follow through for whatever reason. I'm glad I finally did. What a great organization! Not only do they have a great mission and support the community, their barriers to entry for volunteers are minimal. Monday morning when I visited their site for the first time, and later that afternoon I was in the warehouse assisting. It was that simple! Since moving to San Antonio last fall, I have reached out to various organizations to volunteer. None were as streamlined as the SA Food Bank. In fact, the barriers to get involved for those I selected have been maddening. One took three months to onboard and activate, the other is still hit and miss. The process should not be that difficult.

I find myself thinking along those lines often regarding some many things: it should not be so difficult. We are among the most advanced countries in the world. How is it that anything should be so difficult? Why are we leading in terms of COVID cases and deaths? Why are we struggling to keep all our citizens fed and housed? Why are so many solutions beyond our reach? It really boggles the mind.

Just as I longed for the elections to be over, I longed for 2020 to end. Each time the deadline or target I longed for came, the outcome was not better. In fact, it got worse. That is perhaps a reminder of why it is important to seek wellness daily. Putting it off for a better day, when this or that ends, does not help. Instead, I need to remind myself that there will be bad days. It is ok to be overwhelmed in the here and now. Maybe such thinking will help me from going down the rabbit hole and slightly holding my breath as I wait for better days. Helping others and being useful is also a good distraction and remedy for bad days. Thankfully, I was able to make that shift on Monday. And, thankfully I found an organization to compliment that shift. The SA Food Bank allows me a daily option as a volunteer. I find that so utterly refreshing.

San Antonio Food Bank - Fighting Hunger...Feeding Hope (safoodbank.org)