My Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day has not been one of my best days this year (along with my birthday last month). I'm still unemployed, and felt ashamed that my mother & I went to a church for Thanksgiving dinner. While it was good, I feel that I wasn't that bad in shape, since we have a turkey breast (normally, my mother has a whole turkey), and some food. There are those who are very fortunate, but take advantage of these charity dinners. I don't know who all didn't really need to be at a free charity dinner, but I know there were some that in my opinion, should not have been there. These dinners are for those who have fallen on hard times (those who normally are well off) & those who receive some government assistance (in my opinion).

We went to St. James Church in Highland Indiana for their Thanksgiving dinner. Their dinner consisted of turkey (of course), mashed potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, mixed vegetables, regular stuffing, cranberry stuffing, green bean casserole, potato salad (I learned the hard way about some potatoes), turkey gravy, pop, water, milk, & various desserts. Forgot dinner rolls & real butter, & cranberry sauce.

The only food I didn't have any helpings to were: sweet potatoes, yams, green bean casserole (might have been made with mushroom soup, yuck), or a second helping of potato salad.

As part of this charity dinner, people on the other side of the table scoop out the food, rather than people at the dinner (such as myself) getting the food. Only dinner rolls, jello, & the few desserts at the end of the hoot food buffet (as they called it) were people at the dinner allowed to help themselves. Desserts, pop, & milk were at another table, near the stage. Desserts consisted of: cookies, cranberry cake, pumpkin pie, cupcakes, and some other cakes. All I had in the way of desserts were cookies (one was m&m, and the other, snicker doodle) , pumpkin pie, & cranberry cake. I had 2 helpings of hot food (as I was told we can have all we want).

As for where we sat; we were assigned to a table, and had to wear a name tag. A black couple that sat next to me wasted food. I don't know how many rounds they made, but they got there at 12pm (when it started). We got there at 1:15pm, and left close to 2pm. The dinner ended at 3pm. My mom & I only took what we knew we'd eat. I believe that you should only take what you can eat. If you can't finish it, then they (the church) at least let you take it home (unlike buffets, where no food leaves the restaurant). These people wasted turkey, mashed potatoes, & stuffing.
There was another lady who looked like she was in her 50's. She looks like someone who needs these dinners to survive, based on how she dressed, where she lived (with the people she talked to), and that she goes to other churches for help as well. I don't know about the black couple, but they seemed unappreciative. A Mexican guy barely talked. Another Mexican guy is out of work, and had to go to one of these dinners this year. I don't know about my mom, but I felt out of place, as we typically haven't realy been poor. There were also a number of senior citizens there too. Senior citizens can sometimes end up in the poor house if they don't have a pension (like my maternal grandmother), rely on social security, or their health puts a strain on their finances, when their finances might otherwise be alright. I believe for some of the senior citizens there, some were there probably because their family isn't in town. I wonder if that might be for some other people too. This way, they spend Thanksgiving with some people, and not be lonely at home (even if it's just for a few hours).

I will say that after seeing a charity dinner like this, I will one day look at volunteering a little bit of time at a soup kitchen, or maybe some charity dinner that holds these dinners a certain number of times a year. If I ever eat at one of these events again (such as next year), then I will look at giving a donation, rather than take the food for free. I'm not that poor that I want to take a dinner from someone who really needs it. I might be poor at this moment (who am I kidding, I'm always poor), but I otherwise am not in the shape that others are in.

When it was time to leave, I thanked everyone that scooped out the food for me. My mom thanked a few people, but I thanked everyone that scooped out my food, as they're taking time out from their own dinners, & possibly families (if families weren't all at the church helping out), to help the less fortunate. So next year, I hope to be in better financial shape next year, that I'm actually the one helping out the less fortunate, and not being the one helped out. If I'm living at home next year, then I'll look at where dinners are being served, and help out there, while I wait for dinner to be made at home. If my luck does change, and am able to move out, then I will have to debate on whether to help out where I live at in the future, or go back home, & help out close to my current home.

I hope for everyone that reads this blog, that they had a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you didn't get stuffed, lol ;) .