Can't we do better than this? | littleduckie's Blog

I am so frustrated . . . I can't bear to see people hurting and helpless, and yet I'm not in a position to help as much as I want to.  For that matter, I can't seem to get the help I need myself right now.

But seriously, can't we, as a society, do better than this?  Can't we do better for people who are homeless, or being abused, or trying to start their lives over?  So many women are stuck in abusive relationships because they have nowhere to go.  So many children are abused and have no one to help them -- or they get into the foster care system where they're abused and neglected by the very families that are supposed to be taking care of them. 

I have opened my home -- when I had one -- to people who needed help getting back on their feet.  Why can't more people do this?  Why can't we build a network of people who are willing to do more than sympathize or donate to a charity -- people who are willing to do something practical to help -- and give people some real options?

People talk about "building community" a lot these days, but it seems like it doesn't mean much more than having pleasant little block parties in the summer.  The point of having strong communities is to provide a safety net for people who find themselves in need of help!  I can't be the only person who wants to do something meaningful as part of a community.