YouthNoise | TS: Some Nuggets (of Wisdom) and Two Apple (Humble) Pies, Please

Some Nuggets (of Wisdom) and Two Apple (Humble) Pies, Please

When I was four years old, I went to the annual town Christmas parade. Clad in a blue jean jacket and layers of warm clothing, I was ready for the candy-throwing. Float after float went by, accompanied by the much-anticipated sweets. Then came the McDonald's float.

Ronald McDonald was waving heartily left and right, and when he spotted me, his red-lipped grin doubled and he exclaimed, "Red hair! Like me!" He then blew me a kiss, mortifying me and causing me to seek emotional therapy for the rest of my life. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but I was a shy kid and easily embarrassed.

Four years down the road, my dad was driving me to McDonald's after school when we were smashed into by another car, causing me to slam into the metal dashboard of the classic but seatbelt-less truck and earning me my first huge shiner and ambulance ride.

Fast-forward to the college years, and I'm campaigning against Mickey D's and their worker abuse, conglomerate globalization, and general annoying presence. A fledgling vegetarian, I even sported a button that read, "McMurder."

	Natalie1236272 enthuses, :::ERROR processing COMPONENT with path:!:"/site/CDA/mix/board_link_clicksm"::: "I agree, the world is not a charity ward."

Time-warping to the present, people might know about what happened to my daughter and me this past fall when I gave birth to her three months early, two thousand miles from home, because of a medical condition, preeclamsia. (Sagean is doing very well and is just about right on track with her development now.) Stuck in a city I'd never been to for over three months, I accepted the outstretched helping hand that offered to take me in. The hand happened to be clad in a white glove, attached to a very familiar yellow-and-red striped sleeve. The hand was Ronald McDonald's--or rather, Ronald McDonald House Charities.

For almost an entire season, I had my own room, a shared bathroom, and a shared kitchen. I had towels, blankets, and two free meals a week. I had a desk to work at. I had resources at hand, like free event tickets. I had a place to stay that was clean, safe, and comfortable. I had a free way to the hospital each week day to see my daughter. I had a home away from home.

Do I still hold my principles, my value system, and my Mickey-D stigmas? Well, kind of. I really don't think that charitable works give anyone an excuse to get by with hurtful acts--especially sweatshop labor. But I certainly don't feel so haughty about it. In fact, I feel pretty humbled by the kindness and generosity of others--including strangers, doctors, nurses, hospital staff, family, friends, NMers, and the Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco. Once you experience the kind of no strings, unconditional, wild, thoughtful, bottomless generosity that I've experienced, I doubt there is anything to feel but complete, utter humility. And not the kind of humility invoked from Ronald McDonald's air kisses--the kind of humbleness you feel when you realize that humanity not only has hope--it has a fighting chance. How did this fast food giant and my lifelong enemy renew my faith in mankind?

Whilst there, I sometimes burned with guilt thinking, "I was just protesting this not a few months ago." Sometimes I felt actual resentment, wondering who this company thought they were fooling with their goodness when families suffered at their hands every day. But most days, I was just so thankful to have a bed to collapse into after a full day at the hospital, where one hour always seemed like three. I may have missed Thanksgiving with my family, but the gratitude that I would have professed over jiggly cranberries would have been nothing aside this complete surrender to the gratitude that shook my soul at that House.

So does the saying "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" hold true? Maybe. But I know one thing for sure, and that is to not write off anyone as completely evil or malicious or just plain mean, ever. I think if you look hard enough, you may be able to find some good in just about anything. Things that you thought could have no goodness in them could just surprise you. You could find yourself digging deep into a hot slice of humble pie.



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