Contagious hospitality during holiday season

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GARRETT STURGILL, Reporter

Let’s face the facts: there are a lot of  people who face financial struggles. Some of these people in our community end up being homeless or others just attempt to find ways to live day to day.

     Unfortunately, many of these people who find themselves in this kind of situation are alone, and the majority of them are veterans. While many of us are blessed with the privilege of having family to be around, others are certainly not as fortunate.

  And those of us who are privileged to have a family often turn a blind eye to those in need.  We are oblivious to the needs of the homeless and don’t even consider the background that has taken place leaving them in the situation they find themselves.. Willingly, the general population still unfairly labels them as ‘filthy’, ‘dangerous’, and ‘unmotivated’.  

     The reality is that many of these people are where they are of no fault of their own.  And they’re trying.  Hard.  If they had options to change the circumstances of their lives, there is no doubt they would.

  The reality is that those who have the means to assist others take for granted the chance they have to do so.  However, those in difficult situations value even the smallest things:  family and friends, opportunity for their next meal, kindness.

    Every human deserves respect and recognition for how special their hearts are. Every human has potential but not every human has the same opportunity as another. Frankly, the world is deeply lost.     

    Compassion and generosity have been buried deep from our consciousness, but that does not mean that we can’t make a change. It’s our responsibility as Americans and as human beings to recognize there are others less fortunate, and use our natural instincts to be good to others and pull them up using the resources we already have.

 It takes awareness and kindness on our part to fix what is broken in our world. And  change isn’t hard, but it has to begin by taking small steps.  Take a moment to drop that extra change in your pocket into a donation box.  Extra food in your pantry? Drop it off to a local shelter?  Old clothes you don’t wear?  Why not make a donation to a local shelter.  Whatever you can do is more than choosing to do nothing.

Share every post you see on social media to raise awareness of these Americans suffering. Volunteer, share of of your time and talents, get involved.  You might find that the gift of giving is its own reward, and that spirit of kindness can be contagious.

 Consider everyone’s background and why they might be where they are. Give a hug to anyone who may need it. This holiday season and all year long is a time to celebrate our love for each other and our accomplishments.