I just heard a commercial on the radio, which I barely listen to these days. It went a little something like this.
Your donations help to give our homeless kids a brighter future. I heard this and squealed. And out of my mouth came “How about helping them out so they don’t become homeless in the first place”. This is me yelling at the radio from the next room while I’m getting ready for my work day.
So before you jump down my throat and think I’m heartless and don’t want to help, back off. Of course I do but I so wish our elected officials also knew how to solve the problems before anyone becomes homeless in the first place. There’s always a bigger problem than the one you think you’re trying to fix. We have been “feeding” the homeless forever. As we should but how about helping them sooner.
I would have to say that most people today are literately just one paycheck away from being on the streets themselves. And who wants that. I would also guess that it’s a real fear for most these days.
What do we do on a regular basis to make sure this never happens? For crying out loud where I live the winters are deadly. You would think we would love our neighbours enough to prevent homelessness from happening. Sure we have groups, and non-profits, they’re wonderful and should only be there for a small group once in a while. Not a way of living, which it is for some.
Where do we find out how people are really doing? Where is the feel for the community? Where is the community? Do we know what’s happening around us? Or do we just hide our head in the sand and pretend all is well and hope whatever it is won’t come near you? I think the latter one is what most people do these days. We never really get to know anyone for fear of what? Fear has been force fed to us like a parent force feeding vegetables to their child at dinner.
What is it that we’re fearing? Well currently if you’re reading this in 2021 then you would say the Covid19 would be one. But outside of that, I think we fear what we’ve seen on television, movies, games etc. and most of that isn’t real. We fear someone will hurt us or our loved ones. We fear someone will take everything we have. We fear we’ll be alone. We fear we’ll never be happy. And on and on it goes.
Anyways coming back to the commercial, yes help. Help whoever you can with whatever you have. It actually feels good to help. But also let’s do something sooner and not wait so long to help. Talk to people, seriously find out how they are doing. Get to know people, don’t just ask and leave. Be caring towards those around you. As you get to know people, you build trust, you will build connection and that my dear is what a community is for me. Let’s create more caring communities.
Denise Hamel 