Do good works

I wanted to post something in the spirit of the season, which should be, in all reality, the spirit of every day, but it's not, for most people. I know for me it usually isn't. What I'm getting at is be good to each other. Life is too short. Holidays are especially difficult, whether it be due to loneliness and depression, loss, poverty, whatever.

I am unemployed. I am receiving food stamps and just this week got approved for my unemployment benefits. Things got very hairy for me for a while. But I'll be okay. However, when good friends said that they were going to have to pawn personal possessions, and play "which bill doesn't get paid" in order to give their kids a Christmas, I couldn't stand idly by. Unbeknownst to anyone, I went to the grocery store before arriving at their house for one of our get togethers and bought them $80 worth of groceries and offered the use of my credit card to pay their bills (with payback later) so that they could buy gifts.

I also dropped a bag of food off at a local business that was collecting for a couple of local families because I found out via one of the owners that they had had barely any donations. For all the people that are in and out of the shop daily, no one could bring in a can of food. I would have brought more, if I could have brought frozen food. I took from my pantry, and I am not wanting for it. There are people a lot more worse off than me.

So, not to sound preachy, because there is no religious or ulterior motive behind this, just do good by your fellow man. It actually feels kind of good. It's something I'm going to bring up to my therapist today, because while I was helping my friends, and buying extra presents for my loved ones, donating food to the less fortunate, I didn't have time to be depressed. It's not enough to make me run out and volunteer because let's face it, I'm lazy, but if I can do these small things and feel good, maybe others can too.

Do good things, people!