*Pause as she climbs on her soapbox*
Do you know what I love about the holiday season? It's not the gifts, or the yummy food, or even the excuse to wear reindeer antlers. It is that it is the only time that it is socially acceptable, we're even encouraged to care about strangers. So now less than a month past Christmas that feeling is as absent as the garbage bags full of wrapping paper and my bald Christmas tree. But tonight driving home I felt eager to feel that way again. Because every night I return to a safe, warm home and every morning I wake up with a job to go to. And even though we don't have children I know that I wouldn't have to look into their eyes and tell them there is no food.
So I'm asking you to abandon your cynical side or that nagging voice that tries to tell you that little things don't matter. I don't know where you live but right now we are having record low temperatures. And I keep hearing on the news or through friends, or our teens about all the people out there without jobs. Take a moment from your life to reach out to someone else, even if they aren't asking for help. Do it because you believe in karma, do it because of the selfish reason that it feels good. Do it because I said so. Do it for whatever reason you hold dear. And don't let the others tell you it's a waste of time, or that "they'll just spend it on drugs or alcohol" or that it doesn't make a difference because you'll never be able to help them all. In their deepest heart of hearts even they know that that's not the point. You know the point, I have faith in you.