Bah-Humbug.

Christmas is my least favorite holiday. Every year, it seems to creep up earlier than the last. One minute you're carving a Thanksgiving turkey and the next, you can’t find a radio station that won’t play "Jingle Bells" at least twice daily. This year in particular, there was news of one shopper being hospitalized due to what I like to call, "a stampede of greed" on Black Friday. Police were also called into my local Wal-mart in response to two women duking it out over a set of bath towels.

There are good aspects of Dec. 25. I love the food, wine, family and friends. But guilt lies in the back of my mind. While I'm sitting there with a stomach full of food, next to a tree with entirely too many gifts beneath it, my mind can't help but wander. I think about people who are cold, hungry and lonely. I think about kids who don't get any Christmas gifts and the parent who could not afford them. I think about all those who are sad and suffering. Then, I’m sickened by all the overindulgence surrounding me.

Don't get me wrong. I'm well aware that people suffer all 365 days of the year, not just in December.
But for some reason, the holiday season tends to be my biggest reminder of it. However – in spite of all the suffering in the world – there’s something besides guilt that lies within me. Something more powerful than guilt. Something so strong that it could essentially eliminate the suffering of another being.

Hope.

Initially, I planned on doing a community service project each weekend and posting about it. Due to time constraints, I changed my plan at the last minute. For the remainder of the semester I will be posting about my own community service acts and also highlighting what other individuals and organizations are doing to help.

My hope and my purpose are to generate awareness for organizations in need of volunteers. But at the very least, I'm hopeful that it inspires someone to be kind and give to those who need.