Some Serving Suggestions ...

[NanceGreggs]

Instead of banning books, try reading one.

Instead of screaming about your Christian beliefs, try living up to them.

Instead of harassing Drag Queens, try dragging your sorry ass to the nearest charitable organization desperate for volunteers.

Instead of bitching about the high price of food, try working at a soup kitchen that feeds those who can't afford any food.

Instead of whining about same-sex marriages, try supporting people who love each other whether you approve or not.

Instead of thinking you're better than everyone else, try thinking in the first place.

Instead of worrying about how many brown people exist on the planet, try caring for the planet we all need in order to exist.

Instead of 'protecting' unborn fetuses, try protecting 10-year-old rape/incest victims from having to give birth.

Instead of running everyone else's life, try running your own life in a way that doesn't ruin the lives of others.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Working at a soup kitchen.

I used to volunteer at a local homeless shelter, and it was the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I worked with a local faith group (I'm not religious myself, but had friends who were of that faith) and it was wonderful. I worked in the kitchen of the shelter, cooking and serving food to our guests. We took great pride in fixing good meals, ones we might possibly serve at home ourselves. And our guests were uniformly grateful. Honestly, no matter how hard they thanked us, I felt as if I needed to thank them even more, allowing me to help them.

I've been relatively poor at various times in my life, but never ever homeless, never even very close to being homeless. But poor enough to reflect on what it must be like to be homeless.

And working in the shelter really opened my eyes.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I had a Saturday babysitting job. I took care of two girls whose parents worked on Saturday and needed their daughters cared for. My Mom drove me to the house, their mom took me home. Most days I requested we stop at a grocery store on the way home so I could buy food. I was one of five children. Mom was a nurse, and this was the 1960s when nurses were not well paid, to say the least. The mom driving me home was astonished that I'd buy food for the family. I could not imagine spending the money any other way.

[NanceGreggs]

2. Thank you for sharing ...

... and thank you for your service to those in need.

[Skittles]

3. HEAR, HEAR

[2naSalit]

4. Amen!

[judesedit]

5. So well put

[DeeDeeNY]

6. Succinct but spot-on

Nance, the quality of your writing continues to outshine that of any so-called professional journalist.

[NanceGreggs]

7. I am undeserving of such praise ...

... but I am forever grateful for the kindheartedness behind it.

[Faux pas]

8. EXCELLENT