OPINION: Count your blessings, then contribute a few

In the world that we live in today, it’s easy to voice concerns about things we see around us on a daily basis — inflation, high gas prices, cultural issues, crime, racism, joblessness, health care, human rights, domestic violence, gender inequality, income inequality, etc.

There are many concerns that face us all. As we come to the end of another Thanksgiving season, it’s good to reflect on those things in our lives we might take for granted.

There was a thought that came through countless numbers of Thanksgiving memes on Facebook that helped set a tone for the things we should take some time to reflect on, reflecting on the thought of being thankful no matter the circumstances.

“I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”

With some people, we might miss a holiday spent with family and loved ones because of the cost of fuel and the distance needed to travel to be with the people we care most about. With the gift of modern technology we enjoy today, those miles can be narrowed by a video chat. Be thankful.

We can concern ourselves with inflation and the higher price we paid for a Thanksgiving meal, but we need to be thankful for the meal that we did have. We need to be thankful for churches and civic organizations that work to provide meals for those who might go without food otherwise.

We need to dive deeper into the scenario of those who go without, especially during this time of year. For those who have plenty, it may be harder to understand that plight.

For those who do find it hard to understand, there’s an easy way to turn that around: Take some time getting to know those people who don’t have it quite so good. Volunteer at soup kitchens. Volunteer at a rescue mission. Volunteer at a community outreach center. If there’s a local church ministry that lends a hand to those who are homeless, spend some time there.

There’s always an opportunity to help those in need.

If volunteering to help the homeless in a very personal way presents too much of an uncomfortable feeling, there are many other ways to help, such as donations in a Salvation Army red kettle that will be more prevalent in the coming days and weeks, or volunteering to be a bell ringer at one of those red kettles.

There was a time in Blackfoot in recent years when volunteers would gather at the public library turning empty plastic grocery bags into pads for the homeless to lay on the ground for a little extra measure of comfort or warmth during colder months.

The homeless come from all walks of life. They can be military veterans who’ve served their country. Many of them have a paying job and still can’t afford a decent place to live, so they find themselves living out of a vehicle or a homeless shelter. Let’s face it: Affordable housing these days isn’t always affordable.

They can be disabled. They can be young and old. They can be families with young children. There is nothing to fill the heart like serving a homeless family in need of donated items such as warm coats, blankets, sleeping bags, a backpack, thermal underwear, a pair of winter boots and toiletries.

At times, it comes down to just letting these people know that someone cares about them.

Like it or not, in a part of the world that considers itself a Christian nation, we are our brother’s keeper.