25 hours without food.
It feels interminable for those of us used to feeding our bodies regularly. I sat today with the symptoms of hunger: headache, weakness, foggy brain, fatigue, dry mouth; the usual symptoms that accompany a fast. Due to the sad nature of the day, I avoided the internet and television. I spent most of my day, when I wasn’t taking care of my family or doing the small errands that needed to get done, thinking. Thinking about being kind, about doing good, about what I could do to speed up the redemption.
As I set my table with a simple break-fast meal, I thought about how after only 25 hours my hunger would end. I would sit with my beloved husband, and partake in a beautiful meal. My hunger would abate and my life would continue. I felt so lucky and so sad, because at the moment I thought of all those here, and all over the world who struggle with hunger every day. Those who live with the symptoms I described above, EVERY DAY. Children, adults, the elderly. As a mother, I feel so blessed to be able to feed my children whatever foods they desire, but often I think about the mothers who can’t, and I cry in my kitchen. I think to myself how can I, a suburban stay at home mom do more? What can I do?
As we ate our meal I shared my thoughts with Dani and he told me I needed to write about it. We decided to choose a few charities and embed buttons here directly (scroll down to end of article) to them so you can donate to those less fortunate. Let’s take the feelings of hunger and sadness, and turn them into joy. In a world with so much darkness, we must always find ways to be the light. The wonderful Mr. Rogers said his mother told him to “Always look for the helpers.” I’ll take it one step further, and say always be the helper.
Sometimes I feel powerless in the face of so much sorrow that exists, but then I am empowered to remember that I have a voice, which G-d gave me. I can raise it to evoke change and if even just a few people read it and feel inspired, then I have accomplished what I set out to do. It may not change the world, but if It can change things for one person then I have succeeded. May we merit to see the hastening of the redemption in our days, and the rebuilding of the holy temple. May the good we do this year be a blessing for us, so that next year, we will be feasting instead of fasting.
These are major organizations that provide meals to those in need:
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- Yad Eliezer – amazing Jerusalem-based org that prepares thousands of meals for Israel’s needy
- Masbia – NY based soup kitchen, providing dignity to those who need meals
- Feeding America – a nationwide food bank across the U.S.
