We were downtown a few weeks ago, heading back to our car we passed this Blessing Box. What is a Blessing Box? It’s a place for you to take what you need and to give what you can. Brilliant idea. I had to snap a photo so I could check it out and see what I could do to help. What a brilliant idea. Food, bags to carry the goods home, books, as well as personal things that people need to get through a day when times are tough.

I went home and loaded up a big bag full of canned goods. We headed back downtown later that evening. The box was almost empty. PERFECT!! I opened the box and loaded my goods. I didn’t even close the door when someone appeared. I said hello and let them browse as I headed out. Something so simple made my heart so happy.

Just think. What if we ALL did this? Times are so tough right now for so many people. There are the homeless, there are also a lot of people who have been out of work after so many businesses have closed because of COVID19, this awful pandemic that has been at the front of all of our minds for the past nine months or longer.

I noticed the man who walked up to the box was looking for something that he could probably eat right then and not cook. There is no can opener. I didn’t think of that! So back we went to the grocery store the next day. We bought all kinds of things with pull tops or items that could be eaten easily, in addition to items that can be cooked.

I was almost done with an afghan I had been crocheting over the past six years. Because of hand surgery a few times, I had to keep putting it aside. Each row (that still needed to be sewn together) would make a perfect scarf, and the temps were dipping low for Charleston – in the 30’s. To think that people are out and about on such a cold night with no protection, I wrapped each one individually, labeled it, and placed it in two different Blessing Boxes along with a hat that I finished crocheting. It was one that turned out, ha ha… I was tempted to keep it, but am I going to wear it? Probably not. Could someone else use it more? Absolutely.

So when you’re at the grocery store, pick up a can or two (or more!) when you’re out, and drop by a Blessing Box near you. Don’t have a Blessing Box near you? They sell plans on the link above! Maybe start one in your own community?

Do unto others… you know the saying.

And to my friend who was the intended recipient of this afghan (JD) – Maybe one year in the future I’ll be able to try again… 😉 I know you would have been happy with my decision to give these away this year. xo

✍️ Until next time…

📸 Image: Barbara Stroud (me!)