Day 27: Meet a Practical Need
I often think about how the best moments of my life are often caused by the smallest things. A rough afternoon can be transformed by a hug. An overwhelming day can be overwritten by a movie and some popcorn. A hopeless moment can be renewed with a cup of tea and sympathy. It is both infuriating and amusing to me that my self, with all of my dreams and plans and ideas, is contained within a body that can be sidelined if I fail to eat, sleep, or move enough. And the flip side, even the most frustrating moments can be overpowered by something as simple as a cool glass of water and a couple of deep breaths. How is it true that we’re so easily swayed?
When caring for our friends and community, we can’t forget that sometimes the best help is the most practical. There is a reason that we all think of casseroles when we hear of births, deaths, and all the hard parts in between. Food doesn’t fix everything, but not much can get fixed when we’re not fed. Plus, if you don’t know what to say, it’s always nice to have the fallback of, “Here, eat this.”
Beyond just the physical, when we meet practical needs, we’re communicating something deeper. There is great humility in showing up when someone has had terrible news, with nothing in hand but a pot of chicken soup. It’s almost comical how inadequate that is. At the same time, what is communicated is, “I’m here, and at least for the time being, I’ll do the ‘taking care of’ part, and you can do the ‘not being ok’ part.”
If you, like me, have had moments that changed everything forever, you know that those necessary but practical needs start to slip. It’s hard to figure out what to make for dinner on a good night, let alone when my brain is coping with a new reality. Having a community that handles those details gives us time to just process and rest, while reminding us that even in the most devastating circumstances, we’re not alone.
How can you meet a practical need for someone in your community today? How have you been helped by someone meeting your needs in the past?
