And it's not just the homeless on Franklin Street who sit on the bench outside Pepper's and ask for your spare change. The have-nots are prevalent everywhere you go and in every walk of life.
During the break I had the pleasure of helping provide Christmas gifts for a Durham family. A group of us raised almost $500 to purchase toys, clothing and other necessities for a seven-member single-parent family. We delivered the presents on a fairly chilly and rainy afternoon to six children with huge eyes and grateful hearts.
But I didn't get a warm 'n fuzzy feeling or a clear conscience that afternoon. In fact, I left with a horrible sense of guilt, gluttony and selfishness.
Can you imagine living in a drafty, cramped and dim two-room duplex with one double bed for you, your five siblings and your mother? Can you fathom having simply a pipe stove and your family's body heat to keep you warm in the dead of winter?
