As many of you know from previous posts, I serve the homeless in my community on a regular basis. This week was difficult because earlier in the week a homeless man was stabbed to death. Currently, there are no suspects and no real leads as to who committed the crime. Unfortunately, the community cares very little about the homeless population, so I fear this crime will go unsolved.
The stabbing is one of many crimes committed against the homeless in just the small community I work in. Over the last few months, many of the homeless have told me stories of their stuff being stolen and/or vandalized. Many of them have been attacked for no reason. One lady even had her pet guinea pigs stolen while she was asleep. They were like her children, so she was completely heartbroken.
I'm not sure what would drive anyone to take from those who have so little. Most of the homeless in this community have been homeless for a while. They don't bother anyone. They aren't a burden to the community. They are just trying to live their lives the best they can. I guess I just don't get it. Why not help someone out if you can?
Over time, I have gotten to know quite a few of the homeless in my town. I can tell you that many of them have family and friends that love them. They are not nameless, faceless people. Their lives matter. I know a lot of people will not have any idea what I am talking about. I firmly believe you can tell a lot about someone by how they treat those in need. Moreover, you can tell a lot about someone by the way they treat those who can never repay them.
I don't do what I do for any kind of payment or reward. I know what it is like to live on the streets. Sometimes all you have left is the kindness of strangers, and I can tell you that one kind act can make all the difference in the world. If you can help someone in need, please do so. If you happen to know one of the misguided people who feel the need to harm those in need, please talk to them. Your choice to do right can make all the difference in the world.
Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Do the best you can to help others in whatever you can. Have a blessed week, my friends.
Showing posts with label Kindness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kindness. Show all posts
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Doing Christmas Differently
As I have said before, I am not a Christmas person at all. I'm trying to be, but it's not an easy process. I watch the movies, listen to the music, and go to the various parties. My house is decorated; my kids do all of the Christmas activities. Yet, I still have trouble getting into the spirit of Christmas.
It seems the older I get, the more I feel like Christmas loses its meaning. The holiday becomes more about spending money than anything else. More and more, I feel like Christmas is about companies squeezing every last dime out of consumers. I know, I know, I sound like a Grinch; but, dare I say, even the Grinch is being used to sell products. Everywhere I look, there is someone trying to sell me something Christmas-related as if there is no way that my Christmas will be complete without that one product.
This year, I'm trying to do things differently. This year, I'm still feeding, talking to, and providing whatever I can for the homeless in my community. Instead of spending a truckload of money on stuff, I donated a truckload of new toys to a church other than my own. I got some fancy handmade mugs as gifts for some of my family, but I got them by donating money to an organization that provides clean water in other countries. A local artist made them specifically for this purpose.
The season isn't over yet, but I feel like focusing on giving to others is the best decision I have made in a while. You can't go wrong investing in people. Eventually, the music will stop, the gifts will be put away, and the parties will end, but the memories will last a lifetime. Seeing a smile on the face of a homeless person, giving toys to children who may not receive anything else this year, and making Christmas about people instead of products is more important to me than having the latest must-have gift. I am also reminded that: while I do not have much, I still have a lot more than many others.
Ten days until Christmas, and I still have much to do. I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season. If you can, take some time to do something kind for a stranger. I can promise you: no matter how small the gesture may seem to you, it can make all the difference in the world to someone in need. Have a wonderful week everybody!
It seems the older I get, the more I feel like Christmas loses its meaning. The holiday becomes more about spending money than anything else. More and more, I feel like Christmas is about companies squeezing every last dime out of consumers. I know, I know, I sound like a Grinch; but, dare I say, even the Grinch is being used to sell products. Everywhere I look, there is someone trying to sell me something Christmas-related as if there is no way that my Christmas will be complete without that one product.
This year, I'm trying to do things differently. This year, I'm still feeding, talking to, and providing whatever I can for the homeless in my community. Instead of spending a truckload of money on stuff, I donated a truckload of new toys to a church other than my own. I got some fancy handmade mugs as gifts for some of my family, but I got them by donating money to an organization that provides clean water in other countries. A local artist made them specifically for this purpose.
The season isn't over yet, but I feel like focusing on giving to others is the best decision I have made in a while. You can't go wrong investing in people. Eventually, the music will stop, the gifts will be put away, and the parties will end, but the memories will last a lifetime. Seeing a smile on the face of a homeless person, giving toys to children who may not receive anything else this year, and making Christmas about people instead of products is more important to me than having the latest must-have gift. I am also reminded that: while I do not have much, I still have a lot more than many others.
Ten days until Christmas, and I still have much to do. I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season. If you can, take some time to do something kind for a stranger. I can promise you: no matter how small the gesture may seem to you, it can make all the difference in the world to someone in need. Have a wonderful week everybody!
Monday, April 8, 2013
It really IS better to give than to receive
I know we have all heard the phrase 'it is better to give than to receive' sometime in our lives. So, why bother writing a post about this subject again. Well, the truth is this is something I didn't learn until much later in life, and still requires a lot of work. One of the coolest things I have gotten to do as a writer is donate the proceeds of my book to various causes. In fact, I am donating the proceeds of this week's sales of my book to a group of people who are doing amazing work around the world. A pair of them are getting ready to travel to Japan to provide trauma counseling, while another is preparing to go to Honduras to help build schools and other vital community resources. How cool is that! I think of it as a win-win. The person buying the book gets a good book and has the benefit of knowing his or her money is going to a good place.
Life cannot be about selfish gain. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with making money. However, if all you care about is money, then something is definitely wrong. If you only care about yourself, then in the end that is all you will have. I have found that you can't go wrong helping people. Moreover, giving is never all about money. You can give food, resources, services, and time. In my opinion, time is more valuable than money anyway. I also believe helping someone else in need does more to benefit your soul in a positive way than anything else in the world, and I want others to experience that too.
See, that's what's sad about the world we live in. I would venture to say that nearly everyone has heard that it is better to give than to receive, yet there is a huge portion of people who do not believe that at all. I worry about them. Truth be told, I used to be one of them. I was a very selfish person. When I say I only cared about myself, I mean it. I got caught up in gangs and bad influences, I would steal, and I used people. I hurt a lot of people. I would do anything to get what I wanted. In very simple terms, I was a taker. Actually, I was the worse kind of taker--a taker with no conscience.
You know what, you end up in a very bad place when you live that way. Believe me, I know first hand just how bad. You start to think you are the only one that cares about you, and sadly, you also realize there's probably a very good reason no one cares. One day, some good people helped me, showed me they cared, and helped me turn my life around. I went from feeling completely miserable and hopeless to hopeful. I often say the worse thing that can happen to a person is to lose hope; therefore, the greatest thing that can happen to a person is to have hope restored. If I can do that in any small way, then all the effort was completely worth it. You can't go wrong investing in people.
Oh, some people won't accept the help, you say. Some will even take your help and turn around and do the same things all over again. Well, you would be correct, some will do all those things, and then some, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. If you completely shut yourself away from the world because you are too jaded, then the person you're really hurting is you. My hope is that you will find reason to have hope, and then go out and help others find theirs. Help out someone in need, not just for them, but for yourself as well. One small gesture could completely change a person's entire world around. Often, the smallest acts create the biggest results. Not all of us are able to anything huge, but all of us are capable of doing a lot of small acts of kindness for others. Whatever it is that you do, remember: It really IS better to give than to receive.
Life cannot be about selfish gain. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with making money. However, if all you care about is money, then something is definitely wrong. If you only care about yourself, then in the end that is all you will have. I have found that you can't go wrong helping people. Moreover, giving is never all about money. You can give food, resources, services, and time. In my opinion, time is more valuable than money anyway. I also believe helping someone else in need does more to benefit your soul in a positive way than anything else in the world, and I want others to experience that too.
See, that's what's sad about the world we live in. I would venture to say that nearly everyone has heard that it is better to give than to receive, yet there is a huge portion of people who do not believe that at all. I worry about them. Truth be told, I used to be one of them. I was a very selfish person. When I say I only cared about myself, I mean it. I got caught up in gangs and bad influences, I would steal, and I used people. I hurt a lot of people. I would do anything to get what I wanted. In very simple terms, I was a taker. Actually, I was the worse kind of taker--a taker with no conscience.
You know what, you end up in a very bad place when you live that way. Believe me, I know first hand just how bad. You start to think you are the only one that cares about you, and sadly, you also realize there's probably a very good reason no one cares. One day, some good people helped me, showed me they cared, and helped me turn my life around. I went from feeling completely miserable and hopeless to hopeful. I often say the worse thing that can happen to a person is to lose hope; therefore, the greatest thing that can happen to a person is to have hope restored. If I can do that in any small way, then all the effort was completely worth it. You can't go wrong investing in people.
Oh, some people won't accept the help, you say. Some will even take your help and turn around and do the same things all over again. Well, you would be correct, some will do all those things, and then some, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. If you completely shut yourself away from the world because you are too jaded, then the person you're really hurting is you. My hope is that you will find reason to have hope, and then go out and help others find theirs. Help out someone in need, not just for them, but for yourself as well. One small gesture could completely change a person's entire world around. Often, the smallest acts create the biggest results. Not all of us are able to anything huge, but all of us are capable of doing a lot of small acts of kindness for others. Whatever it is that you do, remember: It really IS better to give than to receive.
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