Lantermans, We Live Laugh & Love

A few days ago my friend, Andrea and her son went with Blake, Piper and I to the Community Food Bank in Niwot to volunteer.  As we drove in we saw people loading their cars with groceries from the Food Bank and it was a sight that will humble you in an instant.  These people have real problems and thank goodness for a place like the Food Bank to offer them help and support!  So, we were fortunate enough to help the Food Bank.  Andrea had called ahead of time and arranged for us to go and explain that we wanted to bring two three year old boys to help out.  When we got there, we met the director Sue and she guided us to the warehouse and showed us our task for the day.  We were to seperate like items from a big crate and arrange similiar items in banana boxes.  We put boxes on the floor and we would find things and say "this is a drink", "this is a candy", etc. to the boys.  Tristan and Blake were amazing helpers and listened and stacked each box full.  It was great to see them work together.  Before we went I had a few conversations with Blake about what we were going to do and why.  In a very 'appropriate for a three year old' way, we explained how some people dont have enough money to buy food.  I asked Blake if he could imagine how it would feel to be feel hungry in his belly and not be able to eat.  Although he is three and I am not sure he quite understood details, he did look at me concerned and for a brief second I think he followed that sad thought.  As Andrea were talking afterwards while we ate lunch, she brought out a very good point...kids will learn numbers, letters, counting, those things are everywhere in our society.  The real life lessons that we can teach them are things like giving, loving and sharing compassion with others.  Those are the lessons I want Blake to remember.  We had a great time and plan to go back periodically throughout Blake's life.

 ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”