The guy was roughly 25 and looked like your average, clean-cut Caucasian. He was raised by a good family, but after high school went through a period of “finding himself” which quickly led to a dark downward spiral. He quit school, moved around, and sunk deeper into his addictions. Finally, his family came to a point where they simply refused to help anymore. They knew that each time they gave him a hand it only bought him more time to continue his lifestyle…
Unfortunately, the story must pause for now because I intend to gather more footage and create a short video to share online sometime this month.
In the meantime, consider this: What preconceptions do you have about those who end up at a homeless shelter? Maybe you picture a dirty guy with a beard, or a crazy guy that has lost his mind. The thing is… homelessness no longer fits a mold. Yes, there are definitely trends and common traits, but more recently, the people that are landing themselves in such positions are the type you would never imagine: engineers, construction workers, stay-at-home moms, retired football players, or young adults with a “bright future.” Often, the starting point is something small. It could be a simple set-back that many are able to overcome, but for one reason or another, leads to depression, health issues, drug problems, a repossessed home, or a worse. Before that person knows it, they are so far into a situation that they see no escape.
(Take note, however, that not all who are homeless are addicts. It just happens that with my line of work, my organization provides services to both categories.)
Last night, I had a great conversation with a friend living in Greece who has experienced some radical opposition to the government first-hand. I loved what he said at the end - regardless of our government’s actions, we should realize that we all have a responsibility to look after one another. If you neighbor is hungry, you should feed him.
What are the ways you can help people in your community? Chances are, you won’t have to look far to notice a way you can donate your time or money to bless someone in need. It could be as simple as buying an extra turkey to donate to your local homeless shelter, or taking a few hours to rake up your neighbor’s leaves. The problem is, people find that it’s easier to talk than to take action. They like to repost, retweet, and consume content. They might be good at spreading the word about a need, but they rarely take the extra step of filling the need.
Here’s the thing… we are weeks away from Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Take a step back from focusing on yourself.
Please do something (anything!) that will brighten someone’s day.
