Such Souls As These

Christmas is over; everyone's looking forward to a new year, except for an unfortunate few who have no family. For them, there are no bells of celebration; to ring in the New Year. They sleep in dirty blankets atop steam vents to keep warm. I can't even imagine being them; it's hard to fathom the nightmares that haunt their meager existence; invisible in plain sight. The cold seeps into their bones, crushing their spirits. They're homeless, human dregs, the byproduct of modern cities. Facing rejection and scorn, they preserve their dignity in alcohol; trying to stay numb. For the homeless, hope is a luxury they can't afford; Winter is often the death knell for the mentally sick on the streets. To let them lose all, even who they are as a person, is both devastating and cruel; what was their crime? Humanity includes such souls as these at its fringes. When I look into their eyes, I don't see a weight on society, I see the same hopes, dreams, and fears that I see in myself; and it makes me want to cry! Are we so different that we can justify their hurt and humiliation? Is our lack of pity because we're immune to the pain confronting us; or is it because, like Cain, we are not our brother's keeper? Perhaps it's a little of both!