Opportunities to give and receive

Written by C.M. Monday, 28 December 2009 11:46

Opportunities to give and receive
published in Living City (January 2010)

Having recently moved from Italy to Boston after my marriage, I now study and work as a research assistant at Boston University. My husband and I try to use our money wisely and think carefully not only about our own needs but about the needs of others as well.

One of the first things we did was open a joint bank account and resolve to see together what was necessary when making spending choices.
One weekend one of our new friends had to work and would not have had time to shop for groceries. So when my husband and I went to the local farmers’ market, we had our friend’s need in mind. We counted out how many tomatoes, apples, cheese and vegetables we would need in our house for the week and shared the rest with these friends.

Little did I know that in return I would receive a very special gift. When I delivered the food, we spent time together in a deep conversation that was the beginning of a beautiful and growing friendship. I experienced that in a real community everyone has the opportunity to both give and receive.
C. M., Boston