Christmas Day<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/div>\n
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. \u00a0 \u00a0This is always a complicated holiday for me, \u00a0as there is such a culture clash between what today is SUPPOSED to mean…and what its CONTENT says it means. \u00a0In theory, \u00a0it is a day for Children’s joy, \u00a0 the lights and decorations around the house are spreading glints of color and movement wherever one looks. \u00a0 There are presents wrapped in bright paper under the tree. \u00a0There are stockings, \u00a0hung by the chimney with care, \u00a0and overflowing with once a year treats. \u00a0 There are visits by friends and family and, much rejoicing.<\/div>\n
. \u00a0 \u00a0This is always a complicated holiday for me, \u00a0as there is such a culture clash between what today is SUPPOSED to mean…and what its CONTENT says it means. \u00a0In theory, \u00a0it is a day for Children’s joy, \u00a0 the lights and decorations around the house are spreading glints of color and movement wherever one looks. \u00a0 There are presents wrapped in bright paper under the tree. \u00a0There are stockings, \u00a0hung by the chimney with care, \u00a0and overflowing with once a year treats. \u00a0 There are visits by friends and family and, much rejoicing.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Alas, \u00a0the reality for too many of us is far from this. \u00a0 For too many of the world, \u00a0this day is a reminder of the oppression and hate in the world; of the starvation and want; \u00a0of the destruction of one’s home, \u00a0of the death of family or friends; \u00a0of an overwhelming feeling of sadness and loneliness.<\/div>\n
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- It is a reminder that while (for Christians) \u00a0it is a celebration of the birth of Christ, \u00a0the holiday has become so drowned in Materialism that the message of tolerance, \u00a0love, and helping one’s neighbor has been lost.<\/li>\n
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- Right now, \u00a0there is a Veteran \u00a0who is taking his or her own life \u00a0because the physical and mental injuries of war have become too great to live with.<\/li>\n
- Right now, there are too many Americans who are huddling over street grates, \u00a0trying to get a little warmth against the bitter cold of the Winter.<\/li>\n
- Right now, there are aged relatives, \u00a0living in a facility, \u00a0who have no old friends and family visit them…and sometimes a five minute phone call is all the contact they get this year with their family.<\/li>\n
- Right now, there are LGBTQ folks who are being thrown out of their family because of their sexual orientation, \u00a0or who have not had a holiday with their family for that reason.<\/li>\n
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- This inhumanity is not limited to HUMANS either.<\/li>\n
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- Right now, there are millions of companion animals living in the wild \u00a0because their people have decided to take them on a ride and dump them out somewhere far from home, for no good reason.<\/li>\n
- Right now, there are hundreds of thousands of companion animals for whom today was their last day in the world. \u00a0Why? \u00a0Because the shelter they were dumped into ran out of room and has killed them to clear out cages for the next wave.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nI am sorry to be such a wet blanket, It is no fun for me either…I weep as I type this post. \u00a0So, \u00a0I shall leave you with some suggestions about things that YOU can do to help the situation.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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- Do not just say “I should contribute something to a charity”. \u00a0Take five minutes and DO it. \u00a0 Most organizations these days have an online presence that will allow donations through the Net. \u00a0 Use\u00a0http:\/\/www.charitynavigator.org\/<\/a>\u00a0to find a cause to donate to, and to make sure the charity you are supporting is not just a scam. \u00a0 Here, \u00a0by the by, \u00a0are a few Charities that I rather like.<\/li>\n
- Donations to your local University to support grant programs. \u00a0 This is great as all Universities have programs to help deserving students who show great promise, \u00a0but cannot afford higher education, \u00a0to attend.<\/li>\n
- The K.I.N.D. fund – \u00a0http:\/\/www.msnbc.com\/kind-fund<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0This program, \u00a0created by Lawrence O’Donnell, \u00a0pays for school desks for kids who now have to sit on the floor. \u00a0 It has also started subsidizing high school (which is NOT free in many, \u00a0African countries) \u00a0to allow kids to push on with their education.<\/li>\n
- Heifer International –\u00a0https:\/\/www.charitynavigator.org\/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3809<\/a>\u00a0 This group \u00a0helps the impoverished with animals and other sources of food and money. \u00a0 I am lucky enough to have a relative who, \u00a0every year, \u00a0contributes enough for a beehive to this worthy cause.<\/li>\n
- Local Veteran’s support groups – Look around…make a couple of calls in your town. \u00a0There are too many groups who help Vets with rehabilitation and rehab, and housing and food available. \u00a0 A contribution to one of these helps support a person who has, in fact, \u00a0put their life on the line for you – a stranger.<\/li>\n
- Local Animal shelters – Gifts of cash or needed supplies will do much good for our companion animals who have been lost or discarded.<\/li>\n
- Rescue Groups – Look online, \u00a0etc. \u00a0 There are many rescue groups who want to save the discarded from an early death, \u00a0and restore some Karmic Balance by finding them good homes and loving guardians. \u00a0 Money is always useful. \u00a0Time can be a great gift. \u00a0 Even if you only do it once…that is ONE animal whose life has been made better. \u00a0That is worth a lot.<\/li>\n
- Rescue an animal yourself – If you can, \u00a0open your family of choice to a companion animal (or two). \u00a0 They add an enormous amount to one’s life, \u00a0and cost very little. \u00a0 If you can take an older animal from the shelter, \u00a0or a bonded pair, \u00a0that is even better, \u00a0as they are the least adoptable, and so \u00a0most likely to either spend their days in a small cage (if lucky enough to be in a “no kill” shelter) \u00a0or be executed to get them out of the way (if not).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn terms of gifts…All charities and organizations have suggested amounts. \u00a0They have to, \u00a0because without those choices too many people will say to themselves “Well, \u00a0I do not know how much they want, \u00a0so I will give NOTHING”. \u00a0 However, \u00a0even a small amount will help. \u00a0If you drink a Starbucks’ coffee several times a month, \u00a0then…simply giving up ONE of those can easily net $10 for a worthy cause. \u00a0 \u00a0When you go grocery shopping…buy a few extra cans of soup (for example) \u00a0and drop them off at a homeless shelter. \u00a0 Pick up an extra package of several pairs of underwear, and drop that off at the shelter. \u00a0 If you adopt an adult animal (and yes, I know how cute puppies and kittens are), \u00a0seriously consider adopting two of them. \u00a0 That way, \u00a0your companion animal will have a friend to keep them company when YOU cannot be there.<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNow, \u00a0I am lucky enough to have a goodly sized house, and so can take care of 8+ cats inside and about 5 semi-feral, outside cats. \u00a0 I do not expect anyone to take on that level of effort…I, though want to save them all. \u00a0I cannot do that, but, I take comfort in the fact that I can say, \u00a0every time I re-socialize a feral cat, \u00a0and get it moved to a good home with loving guardians, \u00a0that I have saved that ONE animal. \u00a0One by one.<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe coming years are going to be a difficult challenge for all of us. \u00a0I believe that the best way to deal wih the surge of Evil in the world is by staying strong, and whenever we can, \u00a0perform a random act of Kindness in the world. \u00a0 It will not make the world perfect, \u00a0alas, \u00a0but it will bring something positive to you, \u00a0as well to the recipient of that Kindness.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGod Help Us.<\/div>\nBee Man Dave<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n=-=-=-=-=
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- Do not just say “I should contribute something to a charity”. \u00a0Take five minutes and DO it. \u00a0 Most organizations these days have an online presence that will allow donations through the Net. \u00a0 Use\u00a0http:\/\/www.charitynavigator.org\/<\/a>\u00a0to find a cause to donate to, and to make sure the charity you are supporting is not just a scam. \u00a0 Here, \u00a0by the by, \u00a0are a few Charities that I rather like.<\/li>\n