The terms “grateful” and “gratitude” are often used interchangeably, but they have subtle differences. Grateful refers to the quality or feeling of being thankful or appreciative, often used in response to kindness or benefits received. Gratitude is a broader term that encompasses the appreciation for life’s good things, both big and small and can evoke feelings of thankfulness in response to various experiences, according to an internet search of the words.

In summary, while both terms express appreciation, “grateful” is more about the feeling; whereas, “gratitude” encompasses the broader context of appreciation for life. The source for this information is at tinyurl.com/3d22v9vh.

Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative had food pantry distribution Sept. 11 and will again Sept. 18. As I was greeting all our guests that day, I took notice of every item that makes up our pantry.

I see this wonderful building, which the Catholic Diocese of Allentown and Rev. Msgr. David L. James, pastor at both St. John the Baptist and St. Peter Roman Catholic churches, have allowed us to create a welcoming space for our pantry guests. I see all our food shelves are well stocked, thanks to Second Harvest Food Bank, Lehigh County and Trexler Trust grants and monetary and food donations from residents, businesses, local subdivisions and nonprofit organizations like Knights of Columbus, Whitehall Lions Club and Whitehall Area Rotary.

I also want to recognize and thank Whitehall Township, Coplay Borough and Whitehall-Coplay School District for promoting WCHI on their websites and/or newsletters. We also had 10 WCSD Serve Club students help Sept. 11 in three areas — shopping with our guests, stocking shelves and taking the filled grocery carts to be unloaded into our guests’ cars.

But the more I looked around, with all the support we have from our Whitehall-Coplay community and beyond, one undeniable item stood out. With everything I mentioned in the last paragraph, no matter how much food we have, how many guests we serve, how wonderful our location, the great material things inside our pantry and all the generous donations the public send to us, WCHI could never do this very important outreach program without our selfless volunteers!

Without these compassionate people, WCHI could not operate our food pantry as well as we do. Everyone does at least one job. They love the camaraderie and working with their fellow volunteers. They are extremely reliable and help both us and our community.

Personally, I am both grateful and have gratitude for everything WCHI has given to me. Have a great week, and welcome the start of autumn Sept. 22.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy

“Reflect upon your present blessings, for which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” — Charles Dickens

“Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside. No matter what is going on outside of us, there is always something we could be grateful for.” — Barry Neil Kaufman