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Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my favorite holidays. In part, because I get to see my family and have time away from work to relax. However, the best part of all is the FOOD. Yes, I am a foodie. From the turkey, ham, candied yams, salads, stuffing and rolls- this time of year is always a feast of all those home cooked favorites, not to mention a guaranteed way to gain a quick 5 pounds.
If you are like me, typically you show up to the family gathering empty-handed. This happens because my mom, her sisters and my grandmother slave in the kitchen the night before preparing scrumptious dishes for the rest of us to enjoy. Then once dinner is over they say the same thing every year. “It is time for you young people to learn how to cook some of these dishes, so we can sit back and enjoy.” The response is always the same as we say, "yeah we should," and then its back to watching the Thanksgiving NFL tootball games. I’m sure it's because we assume that things will be the same the next year.
The statement from my family chef's got me thinking about a few challenges I would like to issue to the following 1. All us free loaders, 2. The Ward 8 Community 3. Long-term community activist. The first challenge is for all our young people out there to learn to cook one dish for Christmas dinner. This may/will involve enlisting the help of the family chef(s), to show and share with us young people the tricks of the kitchen trade.
Secondly, as a resident of the Ward 8 community, I've heard many long-time community activists say that it is time for more young people to take on leadership roles in the community. I’m sure some of us just assume these individuals will always be there as the voice of our community, but in reality, they won't. That is why I am challenging all the 20-40 something’s out there to get more involved in your neighborhood and larger community building effort. Help coach in a basketball league, attend a community meeting, mentor a high school student, or join a neighborhood committee. We need to do more than just get up and go to work every day.
My last challenge is for the long-time community activist to mentor someone younger to fill your shoes. Ask yourself, if you wake up one day and decide that you are too tired to do this community building thing, is there someone 45 years or younger who is ready, willing and ABLE to step in and continue where you left off? If not, please start looking.
Looking forward to Christmas Dinner!
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| Of course you have to begin Thanksgiving Dinner with a family prayer |
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Salad and rolls...   |
Love it! You're right on about us freeloaders who expect the more seasoned folks in River East to do all the work. Good thing there are groups like r.e.e.l. that are trying to cook a dish or two in the proverbial kitchen we call Ward 8.
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