Hope

‘There But For The Grace of God…

This morning I had a little running around to do, nothing big, just looking for a Christmas light tester and anything else that might catch my eye. We are well on the way to being ready for Christmas. When I say “we”, of course I mean Louise has pretty much gotten us ready for Christmas. I just have to get the decorating done, cards written and the house prepared to receive Santa Clause.

I stopped at McDonalds for a coffee and to think about what else I need to do while I am out. I really should make a list, it’s bad enough when I am standing in the basement staring at a wall, but if you are in a department store doing the same thing, people come up to you and ask if they can help. “Yes, you could have helped by keeping your mouth shut, I almost had it. Nope…it’s gone!”

Well, no sense staying out now, there is no way I will remember anything now. I finished my coffee and got in the car, as I was sitting there I debated if I should wash the car or just let it go for another few days. There was a guy who had been counting his change when I went in, and I noticed that he must have found enough because he came in while I was sitting there and ordered a coffee, which he took outside. I don’t as a rule pay much attention to other customers in a restaurant, and today was no different. I had Christmas decorating to think about.

I backed out of my spot and began to drive away and I noticed this guy going into the little out building McDonalds have to house their garbage. I can think of any number of reasons you would go into a dirty, smelly place like that, but I suspect that this particular fellow went in to find something to eat. I have never in my life been hungry, and certainly never hungry enough to eat from a McDonalds dumpster. I suspect that some people are that hungry.

I don’t know if there is any way to deal with poverty in the richest city in one of the richest countries in the world. There shouldn’t be anyone that goes hungry for any reason at all. I just can’t get my head around the term “working poor”. We have people in this city that have jobs but are forced to decide between food and a place to live. When I grew up, there were low income housing, but it seems that now all of those options have been “Condo-ized”, so the rich developers can put a little more money in their pockets. In this city it has been about 20 years since any low cost housing was built and that doesn’t seem to change.

We have built “Drop In” centres for the homeless, and at this time of year money is raised to feed and clothe the poor. I am afraid that our attitude for the rest of the year is that if those people would only find a job, and take a little pride in themselves; soon they would have a good life. They must be lazy!

Well, I will do what I can, and hope that others as affluent as I am will do what they can. I hope that the government and the bright people they have working for them can come up with a solution this year that can keep peoples bellies from touching their spines. I will soon forget that guy going to dumpster dine at McDonalds and continue to make my plans for my family to have the best Christmas yet.

I hope…