Remember the less fortunate

With Thanksgiving now less than a week away, I’m already looking forward to my yearly tradition of eating unhealthy amounts of turkey, watching football and passing out on my grandma’s couch — all while trying my best to ignore the gaggle of screaming children roughhousing in the living room.

Though I have occasionally wanted to squish a younger cousin or two, I am tremendously fortunate to have the loving and supportive family that I do and have resources enough to celebrate the season.  

As I was reveling at the thought of a turkey-induced coma, it occurred to me that many people don’t have the luxury of sitting down, feasting and enjoying the company of their family.  

In every city across the country, even here in Bloomington — perhaps especially here in Bloomington — people without food and shelter are just trying to make it day to day. For them, there will likely be no turkey, no football or family get-together; no presents exchanged, no Christmas sweaters and little hope of improved circumstances in the new year.

I say this not to depress you, but to encourage the people reading this article to take a second and consider how good our lives are in the grand scheme of things. That can’t be the end of it, though.

I’d like to ask you to consider doing something for others this holiday season. It doesn’t have to be something big.  

Have extra food in your dorm at the end of the semester? Instead of throwing it away or letting your roommate deal with it, donate it to the local food bank. Don’t have extra food? Make a quick trip and grab something at Kroger.

Are those toys from your childhood still in good condition? Donate them to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. I can guarantee they will get better use than they’re currently getting in your closet.

Have clothes that don’t fit or you no longer wear? There are definitely people who would love to have them on cold winter nights.    

What about all that extra time you’ll have on break? I will definitely spend my fair share of time watching movies, playing video games and spending time with my friends, but I’m going try to convince my family to take a couple hours on a Saturday to help out at our local community kitchen.

For those of us blessed enough to have the things that help make the holiday joyful, let’s first remember to be thankful for them. They are by no means guaranteed. More than that, though, I think we can all do something to help out others this holiday season, big or small.    

Can individual effort alone solve these issues for everyone?

No, but, without question, it will make a difference to someone.   

­— jontodd@indiana.edu