The last bowl of milk.

I asked, "cereal or creme of wheat?" My daughter with wet hair dripping around her face, "cereal, mom." I watched the bacon sizzle in the pan. I have finally learned that bacon cannot be left alone for a second, it will quickly burn, if not turned often. There is only enough milk for one bowl of cereal, today. I will need to pick-up another gallon of milk today. As I am making the "gain weight breakfast for our lean, lanky son," I am conscious of our daughter who wants to eat healthy. It is a fragile balance. Allbran cereal and turkey bacon or pancakes with crisp-fried regular bacon. As my husband comes to the table he pours the last bowl of milk into his vanilla shredded wheat. I gasp in disbelief. No milk left for our daughter. My son raises his eyebrows. I am shocked. Of course, our daughter is mad. When the bowls finally settle, I realize what a problem this is. Right now, somewhere, probably closer than I want to realize, there is a kitchen. There is an empty refrigerator. There is no milk. No cereal. Nothing. There is a child. There are many children who simply wish for SOMETHING to fill the emptiness in their stomach and their heart. As I sit at our black, rectangular kitchen table, looking at our plates with pancakes, eggs and bacon, I suddenly feel so thankful we are out of milk. The simple blessing of knowing this problem is unusual. This ISN'T a problem. We are seldom out of anything we need. As my daughter fusses about having to eat fattening pancakes, I think about the young people going to school this morning with nothing, with no one to care what they like for breakfast. I think back to my husband saying we don't need milk, we'll just wait until we run out then go get more. The last bowl of milk is only a temporary crisis for my family. The last bowl of milk is a constant worry for many families today. I think I'll pour my milk with alittle more awareness, alittle more understanding, alittle more appreciation, alittle less fussing. I think we have no idea what it really means to be out of milk.