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Dear Friends,
Happy February! February is a month full of celebrations – Ground Hog Day, Lunar New Year, President’s Day, Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, Lent and “Random Acts of Kindness Day.” This day resonated with me.
At Bread and Life, we celebrate every day as a gift and each person who walks through our doors is a reminder of the blessings of life. In the very work we do, we perform Random Acts of Kindness every day.
For many years we were blessed to have Dr. Jerry Ross, PhD., Dean Emeritus of the School of Education at St. John’s University on our board. Jerry was a dedicated educator, and progressive thinker who posed the most interesting questions and always gave us food for thought. He was an accomplished musician and touched the lives of thousands of students in his storied career. His life was filled with Random Acts of Kindness. We at Bread and Life were honored to have him on our board and blessed to call him friend. Jerry’s death leaves an empty seat at our board table and one that is irreplaceable. Jerry lived life to the fullest and he is a reminder to us of what it means to live each day to its fullest, to do right, to challenge the wrongs and by our little acts make a difference wherever we can. He reminded us that kindness and compassion go a long way in a world that is torn apart by violence and hate. He reminded us that a simple act of kindness whether known or unknown can make a powerful difference for someone who is struggling.
Despite government cuts of more than $800,000, Bread and Life continues to meet the needs of our guests from diapers for newborns, to ID cards, to translation services, health care and of course food. No one ever leaves Bread and Life empty-handed. We will remain faithful to our mission of feeding the body, mind and spirit and continue to do it in the Vincentian tradition. We will continue to welcome all with open arms and be of service to those in need.
A friend of mine sent me a Valentine’s Day card with this prayer inside. It reminded me of Jerry and how he lived his life-purposefully, intentionally and by choice – that my choices matter – that those around me matter – and that the choices I make are motivating me to be a better person.
Today I choose:
To live by choice-not by chance
To be motivated-not complacent
To be of service-not an onlooker
To excel -not compete
To have self-esteem-not self-pity
To listen to the divine’s inner whisperings!
I think this prayer exemplifies how Jerry lived and the many Random Acts of Kindness he performed in his life to make the world a better place. I hope that each of you feels the powerful impact of a random act of kindness and in turn you do the same for someone else.
With gratitude,
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