Politics can be all-consuming, but even if you live and breathe that stuff, it’s important to step away every once in a while and take stock of what’s important.
This is a great thread you should stop and read now https://t.co/4T3gmStoS4
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) May 7, 2018
Tweeter @politicalmath — who is a worthwhile follow, by the way — recently experienced something that left him feeling awed and humbled. And earlier today, he shared that experience:
I had a weird an amazing experience yesterday. I was giving someone from my church a ride to a food pantry to pick up the groceries she'll need for this week. /1
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
We're looking for this pantry, driving through high-cost neighborhoods on the east side of Seattle. Signs for new construction townhomes in the "low $700s". Very very expensive stuff /2
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
It becomes clear as we get close that the pantry is actually AT one of these houses. It's got to be in this neighborhood somewhere. Someone is running it from their residential dwelling. /3
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
We park near where Google Maps tells us the pantry is, get out, start walking, looking around for it.
There is this immaculate, beautiful house. Just built. Million dollars easy.
Across the street is another house, much older, lawn kind of a mess. /4— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
But the run-down house is definitely where this pantry is. I go up, ring the doorbell.
A young girl answers.
I ask about the pantry. She says she need to go get her mom & then sprints out of the house in her bare feet around the corner to the back /5— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
Mom's in the back. Back yard reminds me of where I grew up in semi-rural Georgia. Stuff everywhere, broken bikes litter the yard, uncle (or grandpa not sure) filling up the above ground pool. Mostly dirt & weeds with the telltale paths that get worn down by kids running around /6
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
I don't know how to say this w/o sounding insulting, but mom, by her appearance, would fit in better in rural Georgia than in this high-cost community a mile from a Google campus.
She says hi w/ a smile, walks us back up to the front. /7— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
She goes to this make-shift shack haphazardly tacked on to the front of the house. Throws a couple latches off & opens it up to a half-dozen freezers / refrigerators & piles and piles of canned and "fresh" food /8
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
This the "pantry"… about 300 square feet of makeshift shelves & any food she can get her hands on. With the exception of 1 freezer, there are no locks. It's open 12 hours a day 365 days a year b/c (her words) "people still get hungry on Christmas" /9
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
I was struck by how snobby I was, thinking "Well, I would do better than this"
There was some rotten fruit in the fresh fruit bin, a shelf of expired cans ("you've been warned" she says), I mentally identified a dozen "improvement" I could make.
God, I'm a judgmental prick /10— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
She has her rules, 1 meat, 1 dozen eggs, 1 milk if they can get it, 1 cheese, all the beans and corn you want.
It's not a LOT of food, but it will keep your head above water if you need it.
And it's all honor system. Walk in a get food as you need it.
/11— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
As my friend filled her bags, I walked with her about the place. She runs this pantry for about $1500 a month, which is nothing. She recently lost her job, which isn't stopping her from making sure hundreds of people are being fed. /12
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
She mentions the house across the street… the million dollar home & how the neighborhood has changed.
She laughs about a realtor who gives her a dollar every month in case she wants to sell her house.
She bought the place for less than $230K. It's easily worth $800K now /13— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
I ask her if she ever thought about selling. A windfall of over a half-million dollars is almost literally at her door.
She laughs at me.
"Where would I live? I can't buy anything else around here. And the people who need this would still be here." /14— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
She could probably retire. It would be the easiest thing in the world.
But who would take care of the people she helps? Who would feed them?
Her house would be demolished & 2 new mini-mansions would go up and then what? /15— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
I was stunned at how much judgement comes from looking at a person or a lawn or a house, or even the organization of FREE FOOD SHE GIVES AWAY.
It's not the way I would do it but I'm also not doing it, so maybe I should shut up. /16— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
Anyway, I met a good person yesterday, someone I would never have met or said hello to in the grocery story. Someone I'm sure I would have dismissed when she fills her shopping cart w/ hot dogs on a flash sale w/ her daughter walking along in her pajamas /17
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
This is the sort of person you'd see in some mocking sneering "people of Wal-Mart" picture but she's better than we are, better than I am.
Good to be reminded of that.
/fin— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
Wow. God bless that woman.
https://twitter.com/less_tx/status/993566236486365184
Thank you for sharing.
— Ben Maddox (@benwmaddox) May 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/TheGateIsNarrow/status/993574783060135936
https://twitter.com/luvofUSA/status/993548292389785600
Thank you so much for sharing this, for your honesty, and for the help you offered to your fellow congregant. Humility is a virtue, but don't overlook your good deeds in the process.
— Restive Rabble (@RestiveRabble) May 7, 2018
There’s a lot of beauty in the world it just doesn’t always look like it on the outside.
— kidney bean (@MRSlimabeansNO) May 7, 2018
True story.
btw, if you want to donate, here is her paypal.https://t.co/7MhC1ubmWg
My only ask is that you don't mention me b/c I am so horribly humiliated by the assumptions I made based on appearances.— PoliMath (@politicalmath) May 7, 2018
We’ve all made assumptions. Sometimes they’ve been wrong. But what ultimately matters is that we learn from our mistakes. @politicalmath did, and we can, too.
Thanks for sharing. I wish I were better about stuff like this and it’s always a good reminder. I appreciate the link. I donated because you shared.
— Ryan Oaks (@ryanoaks) May 7, 2018