Too much

Have you ever felt like life was just too much sometimes? Besides the day-to -day struggle to just keep up with the house and the kids. Have you ever looked around you at other people and been affected in a way you can't understand? I feel that way sometimes.

Sometimes I wonder if my heart is just too big. Am I too sympathetic? Too empathetic? Should I just try and be more jaded?

I hear things every day on the news and radio and online. People being murdered for no reason. Children being abused. Lives being destroyed. There are days when I just want to disconnect from it all and take my children far away somewhere where life is slower.

One thing that really bothers me is the homeless. I shouldn't say it bothers me as much as it upsets me. I work in Downtown Flint. Not a place that gets alot of glamorous publicity but not the most horrid place either. There are alot of homeless around. In about a three block radius there are several shelters and missions where people can go spend the night and get a couple meals, but then are supposed to be out on the street during the day. Across the street from the bank I work at is U of M Flint extension. There is a pavilion that has the bookstore and eateries and alot of the homeless people take shelter there. I look at these people and wonder how on earth they got where they are now. What happened in their lives to bring them to this? I don't look at them with disgust and try not too look at them with pity but I do sometimes.
There was one man in particular today I saw at the pavilion. He sat at a table in the corner, out of sight, his meager belongings at his feet. He looked in dire need of a shower, haircut and clean clothes. He was sitting there reading a book and I thought, this man could have been someone great. Did he have a family somewhere? There was something in me that wanted to sit down and ask him, see why he lived this way and wanted to know if I could help.

I try and help as much as I can. I bring clothing and donate food and money when I can to the local shelters. Right now at work we are having a monthly drive and bringing different items request to a housing resource center. It helps families in the area with a variety of things, including clothing, bedding, temporary shelter and even an address to put on a job application if they don't have one.

We all have so much and there are those who have so little. I think everyone should take some time to find out who needs help in your community. You never know whose life you could help.

Personally if my life doesn't unwind and get calmer soon I am packing the boys and going to go live with the Amish!