Stone Soup

I believe in Stone Soup because I believe in people coming together to help one another. I believe when you are going through a rough time, you can reach out to someone else and join forces to make things better.

When my husband left and my neighbor was dealing with the same kind of loss, we decided to create one fun night for our children every week. At the time, Liza had about six of her children living with her and I only had two. We each had a special needs child as well. Needless to say, life was a little overwhelming. I’m not sure how, but we came up with an idea to designate one night per week as a special dinner gathering between our families. We would pick a weekly theme, usually Chinese and taco nights were the favorites, and we would use what we had to fit the theme. Sometimes our single unemployed friends would join us. We each brought something to contribute to the meal and we would all gather at my house.

My house was old, falling apart and the roof leaked. I was very close to the foreclosure procedure due to my financial crisis. But regardless, it was still mine for the time being, and it was big. Rather than revel in the dread of possibly losing it, I focused on enjoying it and we celebrated good times in the big open space it offered. The kids always looked forward to what they called “special food night.” We changed a regular meal into a party. Sometimes our girls would play the out of tune piano and sing; sometimes our boys would watch cartoons together. These evenings were something we looked forward to, and they replaced the state of worry with song and companionship.

The “special food nights” were the beginning of a close friendship with my neighbor. Some of the best times we’ve had together were from those ordinary moments our families spent together. Random friends, whether in need or not, would often join us, and the nights were always filled with laughter. When we put together what we had, it went a little farther and turned an evening dinner into something magical.

Over the years, Liza and I faced many other challenges, but I speak from experience when I say if there is someone by your side to help you create blessings, it helps carry you both through. Stone Soup is the power of people coming together, using what they all have to make the most out of a tight situation, and counting on each other to celebrate in the midst of a storm. This I live, and this I believe.