This holiday season I had the pleasure of getting to know an amazing man and artist. Now I bet in reading that first sentence you wouldn’t guess he was homeless. Homeless, not hopeles; but despite his homelessness, he was overwhelmingly thankful. Despite our many barriers, he let me in. I couldn't be more thankful for that.

How did I do it you might wonder. What did I say that made us level? Nothing. I simply sat across from him and despite my artistic inabilities, attempted to relate with him. We sat going on four hours. Expressing ourselves through our art. Exchanging very few words. I did not ask him about his past, or how he ended up homeless, and he did not judge me for my much too expensive coat. Rather we offered each other understanding through words unspoken. Through our simple gift of fellowship we were mending societal gaps, at least between the two of us. That was the best gift I could have hoped for this holiday season.

It’s an American tradition to volunteer, and give back during this holiday time. We volunteer in pursuit of giving the gift of hope to the less fortunate, but in reality, I think it's the volunteers that need it most. As the helping hands we need a little TLC ourselves. In giving back we also give to ourselves, and humble ourselves for the new year. Reminding us to never get to big for ourselves or let this worlds views become our own, but rather love each and every one of our crooked neighbors, with all our crooked hearts.

It’s important to remember that we are all on the same journey. We seek the same answers, and the same sense of purpose. As people in a world full of constant media, its lure becomes somewhat unavoidable to believe its lies. The tyranny of majority telling us that we are too vastly different to ever coincide, but it’s not true. No matter how different this world may say we are from one another, our underlying core is the same. Each created in the image, and likeness of our Lord.

Just imagine how much happier of a world we could be if we realized this truth. If we saw the rich and the homeless, the child and the adult, the straight and the gay, as brothers and sisters in Christ, rather than classifying them as the names poorly given to them through media. Give the gift of fellowship this holiday season. Both to yourself, and a neighbor.