It's that time of year again. A time filled with both joy and extreme chaos. A time that some people wait for all year and others dread every moment of. So whether you love the holidays like a starry-eyed child and rock your Christmas sweater all month long or you try and lock yourself in your room and hide under the covers in denial, remember this: 643,067 people in the U.S. are homeless on any given night. Your situation could be a lot worse, so don't take it for granted. You may be dreaming of Peppermint White Hot Chocolate from Starbucks or getting the new iPhone but for these unfortunate souls, they are just dreaming of surviving the holidays. Their dreams are to stay warm and fed and to not let that regret burden down their souls with sadness. What if you could help them? Would you? The children that won't get presents this year. The veterans who once earned respect but now suffer from neglect. The women and men who have made bad choices that they have to live with every day. You might say it's their fault. You might ignore them. You might even make jokes about them. I challenge you to be better then that by stepping out of your comfort zone and reaching your hand out to them. Do they not deserve a 2nd chance and wouldn't you want someone to do the same for you? So this holiday season, take some time, even just a moment, to visit them. Talk to them. Ask them about themselves. A lot of them will be delighted to share their stories and have someone listen. Bring them useful items. You don't even need to buy anything if you have clothes you've outworn or food you won't eat. Maybe bring that notepad, book, old pair of shoes lying around collecting dust. Perhaps even a CD player and CD's wasting space in your drawer. Candles, blankets, socks, and coats are also a popular choice. You may even want to organize a spontaneous session of Christmas Caroling for them like "The World Changers" of Charlotte, NC are! Bring your friends and give them the greatest gift of all this season: hope. You may just find a new favorite thing to do this time of year.
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