***(Long post alert!)*** When I came out to San Diego 11 years ago, I only had a weeks worth of clothes and $40 to my name. The first few months were rough. I resorted to camping near the beach because I had nowhere to go, which isnt nearly as romantic as it sounds (one word: rats). I didnt know if I would get anything to eat from day to day. I was in full-on survival mode. (All of this was a small price to pay for the freedom I had from an abusive situation, but thats another story for another day). Then I found out about free meals that churches around San Diego provide to anyone who shows up. I came to rely on those meals for several months. One church even let me use their mailing address so that I had somewhere to receive my driver’s license and other legal documents after my wallet was stolen. That was a crucial step to helping me get a job, then a car (which I lived in for a while), and, finally, a roof over my head. I am eternally grateful to them for that. I’m not really religious, per say, but I firmly believe in the interconnectedness of life. When you do something, ANYTHING, for someone else who needs help, it creates a ripple effect that spreads love. So as we go into the holiday season, think about helping out at a local food bank or church, carry water bottles & food to give to homeless people you see, sign up to give gifts to families in need, or do anything else that you’re moved to do to help someone else. You never know what kind of circumstances bring people to where they are in times of need, and you CAN make a difference in their lives. Then maybe all of our little ripples of kindness will become a huge wave that covers the world over.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 23:15:10 +0000
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