“Did you send a thank you note?” I asked my daughter.
“Mom, that’s not a thing for something like this. I texted them my gratitude.”
My nose scrunched, declaring disapproval.
“Mom, I sent handwritten cards for the baby shower gifts. Thank you’s aren’t sent snail mail for dinners.”
My son-in-law and daughter just had their first baby and have been receiving meals via their life group. Similar to many church congregations, there is a meal train for sleep deprived new parents.
For decades, my friends and I dropped off meals made in our kitchens to the sick, recovering, and new parents. Full course homemade meals were the norm.
One time, I delivered a meal that a dear one later told me had too much salt in it. To this day, I’m mortified that something went awry. Guess what I did for the subsequent family on my list? I dropped off Panera! The people were delighted and said no others had brought restaurant food.
Buying meals became my new practice, but I delivered them personally.
While another friend was undergoing lengthy treatment, I brought her family an array of restaurant entrees and she said they were the best thing she received out of countless meal drop offs.
She whispered in my ear, “is that terribly ungrateful of me?” The reason was, her kids devoured the restaurant dinner after barely eating several of the lovingly prepared traditional dishes from home kitchens.
Her then-teenage children were starting what has become the established cultural norm today.
All dinners sent to my daughter and son-in-law were from a restaurant. Granted, everyone contributing were in their 20’s…building careers with busy families, but I stood baffled watching the food arrive.
A huge catering order from Chick-Fil-A. Whataburger showed up a few days later. A lasagna door dashed from a local restaurant. Everywhere from fast food to a steakhouse was sent by a driver.
By the time my daughter finished explaining the restaurant deliveries and the unnecessary follow-up notes, our conversation shifted into the generational change. I’ve been blogging about aging lately, and this was yet another moment where I’m clearly old-school. Drivers dropping off?
What about the visiting part? Hugs for those hurting? Being a listening ear while people are stuck at home?
Personal visits likely still accompany meal drop offs for serious issues vs. the joy of a newborn (germs, etc.), but the Gen Z’ers have streamlined this ministry.
New baby? DoorDash. Have a virus? UberEats. No preheating the oven and wondering whether you have thank you notes upstairs in your office.
It appears the days of casseroles and having to wash and return dishes are in the past.
Both generations are showing love, just demonstrating it in different ways.
Thank you for sharing your time today and have a wonderful week ahead!
Featured photo: Mine. Family5power.com
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