When Life is School

Written January 2008

Some days life is just more educational than academics. Last week one of those days happened to us.


Our life group has befriended a family that needs occasional help and we got a call from them. They had nothing to eat. Literally. As in they had just fed their children the last package of Ramen noodles. When I say “We have nothing to eat” what I mean is “We don’t have the right brand of Romano cheese to top our chicken Ceasar salads, now everything is ruined and I am ticked so let’s order a pizza.” They had nothing to eat.

So, thanks to the leadership of my compassionate friend, we scrapped history and math for the afternoon and headed out with our buddies to shop for the family and deliver it to their house.

Although I don ’t know the extent of the effect the day had on my kids, the things they learned showed on their faces. And their giving humbled me.

Not much was accomplished academically. Lessons were more along the lines of empathy, generosity, gratefulness, and all that is associated with the humbleness brought on when joining with someone in desperate need.

Lessons like what a blessing it is to never have to worry about necessities.

And how for some reason, food looks completely different when you are packing it into the empty fridge of someone who has nothing.

And how we are so incredibly spoiled.

At least that‘s what I learned.

Some days I get smacked in the face with an education.

Those days are good.