Begins where?

I have it sort of in the back of my mind that I want to raise my girls to appreciate that we're part of a community and that people who are as fortunate as we are should give of themselves, whether that means time or money or both. I suspect those values are easier to instill when you're part of a church or synagogue and there is a place you are regularly that makes you feel as though you belong to something bigger.

I wasn't raised with organized religion, and as Alec and I have different faiths, it is hard for me to know where to begin with all of these bigger issues. I know my parents wanted us to choose our own faith, but without any exposure at all it seems the answer is I have a sense of not belonging.

Soccer camp is led by a very conscientious man. One of the older kids in his mentoring program is raising money for the food pantry in his town, and so the coach decided yesterday to bring ice pops for everyone rather than spending their change on the ice cream truck, and said if they wanted to they could give their ice cream money to Stevie for the food pantry. I guess Lauren had forgotten that she'd put her change into her lunch bag and didn't give it to Stevie. When we got home and found the four quarters, she was distraught.

"I was supposed to give this to Stevie!"

"Oh. Well, you'll see him tomorrow, honey. You can give it to him then."

"Mom, you don't understand. There are moms and dads out there that don't make enough money to feed their kids, and they give them breakfast in the morning and don't know how they are going to get them dinner. The food pantry helps them out..."

I was breathless, and almost teary. "That's true. It makes us especially grateful that we don't have to worry about that," I replied.

"Yes," was all she said.

But the rest of it? I'm not sure how much she can understand. I certainly forget a lot of days to be thankful for what we've got. Geez, some days I'm even grumpy about it. I sighed and resolved to be better. I just wish I knew where to start.