Started volunteering at "Lawyers Feeding the Hungry". We give a free meal to 500 hungry people coming from all sorts of places. In, eat, out, next. It's kind of cool, gives people a chance to sit and eat a good meal with dessert, soup, free coffee, tea, etc. I'm excited to work on my project- I'm going to include a list of places to get free meals in Toronto every single day of the week, at least one meal a day.
Some guy getting a meal called me "douchebag" the other day. I was impressed with myself when it didn't phase me. He needed an outlet for his inner struggle. If it happened to be me, and I won't take it hard, so be it.
Sort of reminds me of when I got gay-bashed last year by a crazy woman. She came up and slapped me and my partner in the face in the middle of a public park, at ten in the morning on a Sunday. She told us that we were the reason that women get beaten. Sigh. I was just glad it was me and not someone who it could've seriously hurt emotionally, as well as physically. To be honest, it was a kind of enlightening experience and I'm glad it happened. I'm also glad it only happened once and that I live in a country where holding hands with my lover, whatever our genders, is not illegal.
I can only do what I do because I have amazing support. Hopefully I can help provide this same support to others.
I don't mean to sound preachy... I like doing good things, it makes me feel good. This is a positive feedback loop, why do some people get so worked up over it?
Alas.
Some people are obsessed with what they perceive to be purity of intention, not just purity of action. Additionally, people- even smart people- can be susceptible to creating power [im]balances. While some consideration to intention is necessary, the CPR axiom "adequate care given is better than perfect care withheld" rings soundly within such instances, I feel.
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