There is nothing wrong with reaching out to other cities, countries, and nations in an effort to make the world a better place and do something good for humanity.  However, after volunteering for a local food pantry and having friends who have educated me on the fact that there is a great deal of poverty here in our own hometown, a dear friend and I decided to go downtown Asheville and see for ourselves what kind of struggles are going on in our own back yard.

Tamara loaded up the car with a pot of homemade chili, and we packed up some donated coats, socks and extra grub to go spread some love for the holidays.

We saw a girl sitting down below the Salt Cave, hanging out in between some bushes. Reaching out of the car, Tamara offered her a coat and some socks. She took a biscuit and some bottled water and was nothing  but grateful. She had so much pain in her eyes. I don’t know what this girl has seen in life, but the struggles were there. She began to bury the water, so as to save it for later on when she came back to sleep. I thought of how I have a bed at home. I thought of how I have running water and toilet paper. So many  things I take for granted every day, and this sweet girl was happy to have one little bottle of water and a sausage biscuit. She was even happier about the socks than the food, and here I am with a heated home, stocked refrigerator, and I complain that I “need new socks.”

Tamara and I ventured on to approach the soup kitchen. We met two ladies who were outside of the Women’s Rescue Mission. Pearl and Robin were absolute dolls. We offered them socks and chili, and Pearl had a bowl of chili over a great discussion of her experience growing up as a nurse. She fought leukemia and won, and she was the type of person you meet and feel like you have known forever. I loved how kind the windows to her soul were. Despite the fact that she did not have a home and was staying at the mission, she was so joyful. Her laugh was soft but sincere, and she genuinely loved people. I was so grateful for the fact that she shared her story.

Robin was hilarious. She shared a touching story of how her father died of AIDS back during a time when there was not a lot of research and education out there yet. She recalled going to visit him in the hospital room days before he died, and at the time she was forced to wear what she called a “moon suit” to go in and see him, as AIDS was looked at in a similar fashion to the plague. People did not realize that you didn’t get AIDS from simply sitting beside a person or being in the same room. Robin’s eyes filled with tears as she shared how she “walked into his hospital room and took that suit off”, and she laid in the bed with her father as they held each other. Soon after he would lose his life to AIDS. The pain she felt was evident when she shared this story.

Both of these women were so strong. They have seen things I could probably never imagine. As we hugged and said our goodbyes, they told us to go set up where the folks have the drum circle and pass out some food and socks there. We were ecstatic when we arrived and found that Warren Wilson sends students to set up and give out FREE and HEALTHY food to anyone who would like to have it. People were coming by and eating, and it was beautiful.

Tamara set her chili out, and we gave out more socks and biscuits. Yet again, people were thankful for everything – but they were especially grateful for the socks. It ached my heart to think that someone would be cold at night. A guy named Jason walked up to get some chili, and he was covered in camo and bear skins. He was hilarious. He shared how he had been homeless for 7 years. He was previously in the army years ago and shared some of his experiences. We enjoyed talking about fishing and hunting, and he was very aware of how to survive off of the land. He was wealthy in that aspect.

All of these people were very different. They all had different stories, struggles, and experiences. Yet they all wore smiles on their face and strength in their voices. They were fighters. Not a single one of them asked for any money.

I am writing this in hopes that our hearts can hold less judgment towards those whose stories we have never heard. I have seen the world from a different set of lenses, and any one of us could lose every single thing we have tomorrow. We cannot judge our neighbor who appears to have less than us. We cannot assume that just because someone is homeless, they are strung out on drugs. In the same sense, we cannot judge the ones who are strung out on drugs, either. All of us have our own demons, and all of us have our own struggles. We are all on a different journey. The smiles these people wore probably covered a great deal of pain, struggle, and loss.

Everyone can eat at the same table together, both the peasants and the king. Let’s change our lenses and adjust ourselves to look a little bit beyond. Things are not always what they seem. There is something that giving does to the soul that just completely fills my heart and soul in a way that nothing else can. Giving does not have to be something just done during the holidays. Giving is an open season. Giving something as simple as your time or a listening ear can do wonders for another soul. Give giving a chance.