The Little Things

Today I'm taking my own cream cheese to the bagel store to put on the one bagel that I’ll buy. My austerity program has given me a new appreciation for ... everything. One problem is coffee. I drink instant coffee at home, but my limit is one cup. St. Mary's (Community Center, where I work) has coffee but the pot is shared by about six people. I have a scheme for obtaining free coffee, of course, but the store is not on my way to work. They're spared – during the week at least. 

I’m lucky that austerity is temporary until a paycheck from my part-time teaching job and tax refund arrive. It's part of an employment choice that I made. But my lifestyle has changed. Internet (and cable) at home are no longer in the budget, for now at least. Thankfully, a haircut soon will be. I'm savoring every little thing that I can slowly re-afford. Recent highlights were frozen waffles and a dish rack. My sister sent me a Starbucks card for Valentine’s Day, and the non-instant coffee this morning was amazing.

The situation has made me less judgmental and more open-minded; I hope it stays with me. I teach a GED class in a low-income area, and most of my students are smart, hardworking and in need in some way. My classroom is down the hall from the public benefits office. People wander in mistakenly and, before I can redirect them, tell me that their food stamps have been cut.

Over the weekend I texted the aunt of one of my better students who hasn't been to class lately. She tells me that she's had to keep her nephew home because she hasn’t been able to pay the car insurance. I tell her that I understand. 

I await my tax refund (like many) and get by far easier than most who live day-to-day.

St. Mary's Community Center