You’re already undoubtedly aware of my melodramatic tendencies, at least during the pandemic when I can feel the existence of Feast and all my friends here threatened almost daily. And even though the election is- nearly- behind us, it’s abundantly clear that we’re a culture deeply divided, and that’s not a particular help for our mental health.
The little glow in the center of all this disease and unease, though, is that even as we find ourselves raw and vulnerable, it’s that rawness and vulnerability that open us up to be touched by the kindnesses we experience, more than we ever would have. Yesterday I found myself welling up, a couple of times, in a zoom meeting, of all things.
I know we usually well up at the thought of enduring another zoom meeting, but this one was with Matt Schmidgall, the Program Operations Manager of Youth on Their Own, and talking with him about what they’re doing for kids experiencing homelessness, and about how very isolated they are, especially around the holidays, had my lip quivering fifteen minutes into the meeting. Because the kids don’t have a place to live, the time to catch this is when they come, once a month, to receive their stipend checks so they can get books and school supplies. This month, that day falls on the day before Thanksgiving, so Matt and I have worked out a way for us to show up a couple of times that day with Thanksgiving meals, and I could not be more touched by what YOTO is doing or more honored to participate in making this holiday a little easier for people who are having a remarkably difficult time. Here’s what we’re doing for them:
They’ll be getting what we call the Whole Nine Yards, from this menu, and incidentally, you’re welcome to order from that menu for yourself-
You have until the Sunday before Thanksgiving to get your order in.
Here’s a link as well to our regular menu, from which you’re welcome to order any time.
And, before I get back to work, here’s a link to this Saturday’s wine tasting:
And with that, I’ll get back to my day, keeping my eyes open for whatever little flash of inspiration I see. Have a really lovely day.
Your friend Doug and all of us at Feast