The Ace of Spades

Again there was the collective groan when Mrs. Cozzie announced the stipulations for the next assignment. Here we thought the ace of hearts was challenging... We now had to do a random act of kindness for a complete stranger. "This won't be creepy at all," the class thought collectively.

It's funny how life works itself out sometimes. The day after, Deacon Neu asked if I would like to go to the St. Blase soup kitchenlater that week. Who can look Deacon Neu in the eye and say no to helping others? That's right, no one.  

The next day we drove to St. Blase in Summit. What I was expecting were people getting in line, us giving them food, them sitting down, eating, and then leaving. I pictured families of nine or ten sitting together in second-hand clothes or without shoes. Completely stereotypical, I know. I was in for a very rude awakening. 

I was wrong on various accounts. Mostly older couples came to eat. We served them, not the cafeteria style I assumed. They wore decent clothes, not Prada and Gucci obviously, but definitely wearable. Also, when they were finished eating, Santa Claus came to give the children presents. The look on the childrens' faces was priceless. They each received a gift and I could tell that one simple gift meant the world to them.

We served a total of fifty-three adults and eleven children and teenagers that night. I served sixty-four people. 

Sixty-four strangers. 

Sixty-four people in need. 

I learned more from them than they will ever learn from me. I learned to love like a Marist student. The people I served loved each other more then life itself. I saw when the children said what they wanted for Christmas, it seemed almost as if it physically hurt their parents that they might not be able to give them exactly what they wanted. I learned exactly what the phrase "loving someone so much it hurts" means. That is how every Marist student is loved and should learn how to love others. 

I served like a Marist student. Not only did I serve those that came for food but also the nuns who ran the soup kitchen. They were so grateful that we came and if we didn't, they knew their soup kitchen would never be as successful as it is every Wednesday. Serving others is more than helping those in need; it is helping anyone and everyone.