Walking Down Memory Lane

Remember . . .

• Field trips when you were a kid?
• The permission slip for your parents to sign that either was sopping wet from the rain or crumpled in a little ball inside your book bag?
• The anticipation of bumping along on a school bus in the middle of the day?
• Getting to legitimately skip the dreaded history class?
• The kids with a pouty lip who didn’t get their permission slip signed and had to stay at school?
• Holding hands in the back of the bus with your best friend?
• The Tootsie Pop they gave you for touring?
• The kid who always got carsick on the bus?
• The tour that was sometimes boring and other times exciting?
• Saying that a bad field trip was better than a good day at school?
• Getting to wear pants all day in school and not the required dresses?
• Bragging to your brothers and sisters that you didn’t have to go to school today and they did—na, nana, nana?
• Incessantly telling your parents about what you did and saw?

For today’s gift, I learned about two nonprofits while reliving the field trip experience. I toured the Gospel Mission this morning and was impressed with the orderliness and cleanliness of the facilities. They served 260 people dinner last night, which is many more people in need than usual.

The other nonprofit, CARES, had a luncheon banquet for donors. Their mission is to help abused children and kids who have witnessed a violent crime. A former resident of the organization inspired us all as she spoke of how CARES helped her become who she is today.

For some, walking down memory lane is more enjoyable than it is for other people. I visited two non-profit organizations today that serve those who have had (and do have) a hard go of it. I will remember these folks and continue to support them so that their memory lane will be more like the field trips I remember so fondly.

In Giving,

Robin