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opinion:
our view
Giving
should not be limited
While Americans continue to reel from the terrorist attacks,
it is almost impossible to not examine everything going on and
catch a glimmer of what can be done after the healing process
is over.
Dollar by dollar, we have donated to the Red Cross, the New
York Fire Department's widow fund or any other charity that
is helping the victims of two weeks ago.
More than ever, Americans have begun to sacrifice money.
They have begun to again become in touch with their religious
beliefs and have become more involved in an attempt to feel
like they can play some small part in the nation's recovery.
But it makes you wonder, why weren't people doing these things
before?
Suddenly it's obvious that many Americans have begun to put
their lives back into focus. They are now realizing how trivial
life can be when you don't put it into perspective. We are
all stepping back and realizing that material goods are not
capable of making you complete.
We are all making sacrifices of some sort.
We realize the fact that most of us are lucky, because we
weren't in the World Trade Center or because we don't have
any family to grieve for or mourn.
Instead, we are mourning for people that we never knew. For
the first time in a long time, we are not numb or blind to
the fact that people suffered horrible deaths.
But death happens everyday.
Here in this country children and adults die of starvation.
They suffer to make a living and turn to the streets, where
they try to get by one day at a time. Once proud veterans
hold signs on the side of freeways trying to find a place
to live or some type of work that more than anything will
make them feel some sense of self worth.
Don't close your eyes, because they are out there.
Although they are sometimes faceless, we need to learn from
the tragedies of Sept. 11 and realize that we can make a difference
in somebody's life ? in some small way everyday.
You can donate your time to your church, mosque, synagogue
or temple. You can spend some time helping out the homeless
who live on the street. Perhaps even take some time to talk
to them and hear their stories ? some of them are amazing
tales of hard luck and pain that you would never believe.
Most of all, you can keep giving financial help to charities
of your choice. There are so many people that need help and
organizations that have been established to supply them with
the help they need.
Just find a cause you deem worthy and give, it doesn't matter
what everyone else is doing, the important thing is to know
that somehow you are making a difference in this world.
Only after we help those around us can things actually get
better and maybe that is the best way to heal.
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