I like to think that there was a time in history when people cared about other people. When the words ‘selfless’ and ‘compassion’ meant something. When we put other people’s needs over our own, when we turned our cheeks and allowed our shoulders to be used as pillows.

Sounds funny I know, but in all seriousness, how many of us can say that we really care about the burdened and lonely? How about the down trodden and broken hearted? I may be speaking to forty thousand of you, but I’m really preaching to myself because I certainly don’t deserve any awards.

There seems to be such a lack of kindness in this world that it eats away my soul and drives me to write articles for you to read. I can’t help it; it’s been ingrained in me to be a voice for the hopeless, a guardian for the speechless, and an advocate for the homeless.

I find it disgusting that the richest country in the world can’t afford to get people off the streets and into warm homes. It’s a shame we could pay people like Lindsay Lohan and David Beckham millions of dollars to sing and kick a ball but allow America’s children to sleep under the protection of trees. It’s morally apprehensible and irresponsible of our government to allow this nonsense to go on and on with no signs of stopping.

Some of us may say to ourselves, ‘Well, I work my butt off for what I have why can’t he or she do the same?’ It’s a valid point and to be totally honest with you I’ve asked myself that question many times. Maybe that crying man on the corner had a good life at one point. You know, a nice house, couple of kids, a beautiful wife, then through a variety of circumstances found himself in debt up to his eyeballs, so he started to drink and do drugs to ease the pain and when his wife found out she packed up and left him to wither away into a shell of depravity.

How about the young girl just out of high school who got pregnant and against her parent’s wishes, decided to keep the baby. They didn’t like that idea and gave her the old heave-ho out to the streets. Far fetched? Impossible? I don’t think so, and I don’t think you do either.

Then there are others who were born into poverty without hope and a prayer. They wander among us with broken dreams and search for someone willing to intervene on their behalves. They sadly watch on as we erect monuments and sports arenas, mansions and movie theaters. They watch as we pass over them like garbage and lift our noses in the air.

It’s a true American tragedy, folks, that in this day and age there are people eating out of garbage cans and stealing to survive. We care more about movie stars and politicians then we do about the poor and needy. It’s funny because I can bet my life that these so-called Icons don’t give a crap about us. That’s the plain old truth whether we like it or not.

Many of you are probably wondering why I’ve taken such a hostile approach to this subject and I’ll tell you why. There was a time and a place when I found myself sleeping on park benches and underneath the banner of heaven. There was a time when I begged for change on the sidewalks and watched as people passed by me with no affection.

Fortunately I’m no longer in that horrible predicament but there are thousands of other people still carrying that burden and struggling to survive in this great nation without out a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of. Thank God for food pantries and churches that are willing to help, and thank places like Teen Challenge, Hope House Ministries and the Salvation Army for doing there part in the fight against this ruthless atrocity.

If you or someone you know is in need of shelter and food please contact one of the numbers I’ve provided. They may save someone’s life.’ Heck, they saved mine once.