In the past, I can remember donating food, clothes and various other goods to charities. It was only recently, however, when I realized how much a simple box of food actually helps.

The last couple of years has been rough for my family, both financially and emotionally, and recently we’ve had to go to the Salvation Army for food boxes. This is honestly my first time experiencing anything close to desperation and if I’m being truthful, it’s something I never want to experience again. When we got our food box, the kind volunteer gave us an extra box, as it was Christmas, and this small gesture made my year.

It’s easy to donate and never think that donations have an impact, but having seen both ends of this charitable exchange, I can safely say it makes a difference. Not only did my family have food, but we had a renewed sense of hope.

Thanks to another charitable act, I was able to have a gift for Christmas, and without it I would have never been able to receive anything. While I’m perfectly fine without, someone decided to spend their own money on a random child in need. In hindsight, I realize that I don’t deserve this, and seeing as how there are those worse off than myself, I’m going to return the favor next Christmas.

I understand that for most the idea of donating is of low priority but I urge those who feel this way to seek out a way to be charitable that fits their interests and to actually follow through with it. If we all gave a little to each other out of charity, I think the world would be way better off. Charity isn’t about seeming like a generous individual to impress others or filling a quota of good deeds for some reward, it’s about being a good person.

It may seem strange seeing how much of an impact a bag of rice and a couple boxes of pasta actually make but it does, and despite needing charity itself, I will remain charitable to all who need it as well. The notion of providing help without an expecting something in return is unfortunately foreign to most and I feel that it’s negatively affecting societies ability to show and feel compassion. In an ideal world, things like this would be common deeds done for the sake of being done. While we don’t currently live in this utopia, there’s nothing stopping us from creating it and making it a reality.