Connection

Tonight was our second Lesley Delivers sandwich run, and we ran it with a part of White Hall. We had a large group tonight and again split up into three groups that handed out 25 bags of food overall. Almost every bag was given directly to a person when usually we have to leave a bunch in strategic places around Harvard Square. Although it is great to make human connections through this basic action of giving, we have to remember that we don’t want to see that many people out there. This means that more people have no place to go when the night and the cold comes on. In our reflection after the run we talked about how grateful the people getting the food were. We saw some with signs saying “Hungry and poor” and some playing music to keep warm. Some were able to laugh with us, and a few were able to smile with us during the exchange of a simple brown paper bag. One group was stopped by a man who is frequently sitting on a bench alone. They stopped and talked with him for a few minutes after he called them over. He didn’t need food, he needed connection. Some people go through their days without a nod or a smile. Some have incredible life stories that will go unheard because no one is willing to listen. We should all take a moment to think about what we would do if we were not able to express ourselves to loved ones. What if we didn’t have them? Who would we have to share our burdens, and who would we have to share our laughter?