In Giving We Receive… Gratitude

I have so much to be grateful for during this year of service. With only being 3 months into this experience, I am very grateful for the overwhelming support of my communities during this time of transition. That list of people includes all of the FrancisCorps staff, the friars, the Assumption Church parishioners, the staff and residents at Joseph’s House, fellow young adults I have met, my family and friends back home, my long-distance boyfriend, and especially Amanda and Madeline. I’ve been touched by how welcoming and kind people have been to us without really even knowing us! We have had people invite us into their homes for dinner, others have baked cookies and desserts for us to enjoy as little welcoming gifts, and so many others have just showered us with acceptance and overall support for which I’m extremely grateful.

I also genuinely feel so much gratitude towards being able to serve in Syracuse for a year. I recognize that not everyone is able to take an entire year off of their life to do a program like FrancisCorps, so I am thankful to even have this opportunity. Since I’ve been serving the women and children at Joseph’s House in a very direct way, I think my understanding of gratitude has deepened. I’m starting to realize what Mother Theresa meant when she said that the poor are a gift, and that they give us much more than we can ever give them. While yes, I serve and give of myself to these women, they’ve been teaching me and giving me even more. I’ve only just begun to grasp bits and pieces of what they’re teaching me, and one of those pieces is a unique kind of gratitude towards them. One thing that never ceases to amaze me, is seeing their unwavering love for their children. A love that overrides any thoughts that life may have been “easier” without bringing a child into the world. A love that transcends brokenness. A love that reaches others’ hearts like mine, reminding me of the love my own parents showed me, the sacrifices they made for me, the opportunities they worked hard to make available for me, and the person they helped shape me into. These women have taught me an essential lesson about gratitude, that changing your point of view (e.g. seeing yourself through your parent’s eyes) and stepping outside of yourself (e.g. looking closer at the world and people around you), opens you up to seeing and appreciating the gifts around you and within you.

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