This year I did something a little different.
I brought the homeless home.
As some of you know, for the last few years I have spend Christmas Eve with the homeless. To me, Christmas has always been a time of giving back. Giving isn’t just about money: it’s about time, effort, and connecting with people.
By spending my Christmas Eves with the homeless, not only do I get the chance to make an often forgotten group of people feel special during this time of year, but I learn more about myself in the process than any other time of the year.
This year I did something a little different. I brought the homeless home.
On the day of Christmas Eve I met a homeless individual that I had a great conversation with.
How often do we take the time in our busy lives
to have a few kind words with a stranger?
When I asked him if he was willing to help me with what I wanted to do on this special day of giving, you should have seen the look on his face! For a man who spent most of his time on the streets, being forgotten, it was obvious that this invitation meant a lot.
We found 3 more of his friends and I drove around, with a trunk full of food, to the spots they told me to as they gave out the food to others on the street.
We at times forget the power of giving, it taps into the core of our humanity.
This gave them the chance to give back to others and feel a part of humanity that they might have lost sight of.
Now came the second part of the night. All 4 of them got to pick what they wanted for a Christmas Eve dinner. We picked it all up for them and we headed to my house for a Christmas Eve dinner.
For people who have to scrounge most of the time, I wanted them to experience a night tailored just for them.
Part of the deal was that there would only be two bottles of wine and one six-pack of beer to split amongst us.
With food in tow, we made our way back to my house. As we settled down for dinner, the conversation started a little slow. However, as we warmed our bellies with food, we began talking about our stories and why we were doing the things we were doing, what ever they might be.
We laughed and we cried and we shared our stories with one another.
I know after this special night I get to experience. It reminds me for the rest of the year that people who are on the streets have no less value than we do. They are people just like us with families, experiences, a history and a future.
When the night was over, one of them asked why I had bags of clothes by the door. I had set them aside intending to drop them off at Goodwill, but as soon as the question was asked, I realized that there might be a more immediate need. Needless to say, I let them go through the bags and select whatever items they wanted.
The most amazing thing happened in the end of the night. All 4 of them refused to leave until they cleaned up the kitchen for me.
That is the magic of giving,
it changes the face of humanity right in front of us and within us.
After that, I dropped them off downtown, sure to send all the leftovers with them.
In departing I know I gave them an experience in a small moment in their lives that they will never forget. More important than that, they gave me one that will stay with me in my heart for ever.
Their departing gift was an envelope for each. Consisting of $100 worth of small gift certificates in places they can buy coffee and food. Yes, they can cash that in and buy drugs and booze. At times we also need to give without judgment. My gift was to give to them and that is where it ended, not to control their actions and give conditions upon them.
Overall, it was a powerful evening–for me. Their gratitude humbled me. All I had to sacrifice was one day and some cash, and I was able to bring back the essence of Christmas back within all of us.
For those who may wonder about the risk of having homeless strangers in my home. Not something I recommend and it can be dangerous. 
What if they stole something? I encourage you to remember that
the most valuable things we own are between our ears and in our hearts
and those can never be stolen.
There is nothing wrong with wanting good things in life – but always be aware of our attachments towards them.
Well, we all have our limitations – I did lock my office up.
The essence of Christmas and the holiday season is about showing love. I hope you and yours had a fantastic holiday no matter where you were or what you were doing.
It would be great if you can take a few minutes and share below your special moments during Christmas. Times with your family and children. Things that make you smile.
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Fred, all I can say is WOW. It takes a special person to open their hearts. You continue to amaze me great sir.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years,
Jim
Are you kidding me? Fred that is amazing. You are quite a unique fella.
I always knew that you had a great heart Fred. Thank you for an inspirational story.
Heartwarming Fred. Thank you always, for all the great posts.
Wow. Thank you for sharing this and for making such a special memory for those people on Christmas eve-I always think about doing this and I never have. You have given me food for thought.
Stephanie, I wish I could put into words the memories and the emotions that are always left behind for me through this experience every year.
Remember, its not what can be done and what people should do and how much we can do – It’s all about the little that we actually do.
It all adds up in this world of ours.
Have a great holiday season.
Yet again, you walk the talk!
Awesome, you inspire us all to step out of our comfort zone’s and do something for someone else!
Have a healthy, happy and successful 2011.
David
Thank you David, kind words mean a lot.
Wishing you and your family a great holiday season.
.
A DAY OF THANKS, A DAY OF GIVING
CAN BE FOUND, IN EACH DAY OF LIVING
My Dear Fred:
Thank you for sharing the
essence of your presence with the homeless.
You have clearly demonstrated that:
THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
May you continue to share
the ‘GIFT OF YOU’ with humanity
with unconditional love and light.
Meher Amalsad
Author of Bread For the Head™
http://bread4thehead.com
Meher, thank you for always commenting – I always look forward to you great thoughts.
Wow! Much like all of the comments above… WOW!
Things like this always cross my mind – but the action never occurs. Thank you for a model and inspiration of action.
With great respect,
Sandy
Great work Fred,
Your decision to “just do it,” versus not doing it, has impacted many others around you, not just your 4 guests.
That simpe decision to say “yes,” as oppossed to saying “I’l do it later, or that might be dangereous, or I don’t have the extra cash, or whatever excuse we use,” is the diffence between a leader and a follower. You lead by example.
Great job!
Thanks Fred,
Paul M. Hecht
Author of Everyday Real Estate Millionaires
http://www.PaulMHecht.com
Hello Fred,
Your story really moves me, and touches my heart. Loved the giving without judgement, nor strings attached, their gratitude, and your awareness that we all are people with lives, a past and a future. I know you don’t necessarily promote spirituality as such, but I am certain it was an experience of a Father, and Mother’s love for all.
I lost my father in May this year. Although I never had Christmas at home in Ontario since I married out west in BC 27 years ago, almost 28 years ago, I still feel the loss this Christmas. I led music in the morning at my church. At one point my heart was touched by the non verbal communication with the priest, when I played a wrong chord on the guitar, the last chord of a 3 chord prelude to him singing, so he could find the note. In one moment his look was confusion, and then my look was “darn, wrong chord”, and he managed to be bang on with only the first 2 chords in his memory. After we all were part way into singing the “Gloria” I started to think of all the ways we communicate, and started to cry…but immediately caught myself…I’m supposed to be leading here. Dad was one who made faces…a puzzled look…perhaps like the priest did.
Anyway, i still felt like it was Christmas after mass, in a sad sort of way, but that I wouldn’t feel the rejeuvenating magic. But I was wrong. My son and his girlfriend came for present open with my hubby and I. But first we had breakfast, which he and his girlfriend helped to me. I was watching other people as they opened their presents, unaware of the presents growing by my side, which my son was handing out. I felt overwhelmed with such a feeling of being spoiled that I cried.
Christmas is about giving, but it also is about being surprised, and receiving something that we did not expect and being grateful.
So, thanks for your sharing and for giving me an opportunity to tell others about my experience.
Good Job Fred,
If even half of us followed suit, then we wouldn’t have anyone living on the street.
There is of a course a huge portion of homeless who are on the streets due to a mental health problem. There was a study on New York homeless that measured how long it would take any “normal” person to develop mental heatlh problems if forced to live on the street. It would take about 24 hours for minor things like paranoia to set in and 48 hours for major breakdown.
All you have to do is imagine for yourself how you feel when you are hungry and can’t eat or need to use a bathroom and have no access to one. Then, where does one sleep? Who watches your possessions for you if you do have some access to shelter? What if someone threatens you or harms you? Can you march in to the police station and file a report? What if your ID is stolen? How do you go about replacing it? You need an address for that….
The downward spiral is mind boggling.
I commend you for a job well done and for bringing awareness to the fact that homeless are people too!
Ann Stanley
Ann, without an “e”. What a powerful reflection on Fred’s inspiriational experience. And fitting that an “Ann” would speak of imagining how the same situation would be for us if we were plucked from our lives and placed on the streets. It reminds me of “Black Like Me” all over again.
I wonder if there is something I can do to be a part of the solution…
Fred,
Thanks for sharing your life experience; you truly inspire me to be a better person making me challenge myself each and every day!
Cheers,
Cal
Hey Fred, that really is a great story, thanks for sharing it.
It’s so easy to have good intentions but to just talk about doing something without actually stepping outside your comfort zone and taking action.
Again, terrific Job!
David
Fred you are a special man and I really appreciate you doing things like this to show all of us how to be better people.
Wow, awesome and courageous . reminds me a quote which I like:
Christmas is a necessity.
There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves. ~ Eric Sevareid
Ray, love the quote. We have gotten so used to creating a fast paced world to live in that we have forgotten what life is really all about.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Truly, giving is its own reward!
Wow! Truly amazing. What a inspiratiional way to celebrate the holidays. Thank you for sharing.
Thank Lynn, hope you had a great holiday season. Looking forward to seeing you at the next event.
Fred, giving is so much more gratifying than receiving which you have truly demonstrated. Many of us have not been able to achieve that noble art of giving without any strings attached or questions asked.
Thank you for widening our horizons
Dolly Dastoor
Amazing Fred, outstanding, what great exhibition of love and kindness, it would not surprise me if even one out of the 4 persons, suddenly make a real effort and change their life around, based on this heart of compassion shown to them at this time…..God is truly moved by your kindness Fred, you are an extreme inspiring individual, keep up the great work, that is a true Christmas story.
Blessings, Caroline
An awesome experience…thanks for sharing