Make Them A Meal :: How A Simple Meal Train Can Be A Beacon Of Love & Support In Difficult Times
I’m sure everyone reading this has either volunteered for a meal train, or at the very least heard of a meal train. I myself had always heard of them, and unfortunately over the last several years our school / parish community has needed more meal trains than I care to admit. But in truth, I didn’t understand just how valuable meal trains were until I was on the receiving end of said support.
The Longest Year Of My Life
In November of 2020, my husband left for a year long deployment. Before he even left, the school Meal Train committee reached out to me asking if I wanted a meal train set up to support the kids and I when he left. I initially said no. I’m not sure if it was due to pride, a lifetime of having a hard time accepting help, or just sheer stubbornness but nonetheless, I said no. It didn’t take long for me to realize that was a mistake. I quickly realized that the sheer thought of having to decide what to cook felt too exhausting on most nights, let alone actually prepare a meal. So I swallowed my pride, reached out to the committee, and asked for a meal train for 2 days a week for a few months.
Life Changing
Can I tell y’all? The meal train was life saving … in more ways than one. It certainly helped by taking a task off my plate, but more importantly it made me feel loved and cared for in a way I didn’t realize I needed. The amount of people who signed up for the meal train was overwhelming. Many of these people didn’t even know my family on a personal level … only that we were part of their community and we needed help. It touched me in ways that honestly brought me to tears most nights.
I’m not really sure why, but having a home cooked meal is soul soothing, and that’s exactly what it did for this exhausted and sad mama soul. More importantly, it also made my kids feel loved. They got especially excited on nights where their friends’ parents brought dinner because it usually included a sweet note from said friends. It was something we all looked forward to. It made us feel less alone, and it made me feel like I could make it through the year if I just took it one day at a time. It also taught me to accept help when it’s offered, and to not be afraid to ask for help when it’s needed.
So Take Them A Meal
The next time someone in your community needs help, take them a meal. It won’t change the circumstance that brought them to need the assistance and it won’t take away their grief, but it will be a source of love and comfort in an otherwise difficult time. It will show them their community cares for them. It will remind them that there is good in the world, and there are people who are thinking of them and praying for them. It will remind them they are not alone.
And if you’re not keen on cooking, that’s ok! Take out from their favorite restaurant or gift cards to order take out as needed are equally as helpful. It may seem like such a small gesture, but it truly has such a big impact. Take it from someone who’s been on the receiving end … it’s such a blessing.
