https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrMrfUu_9Nc

It’s amazing the things you experience and learn when doing outreach work with the homeless population of Salt Lake City. I recorded this video to reflect on my experiences on doing outreach work for November 2015. In it, I talk about the innocence of a grateful homeless child, who appreciated our gift of a nice warm hat and a nice warm blanket for the approaching winter season, and how touching that was to see. It’s important when I experience these things, I see the silver lining, as they say, see strength in adversity, see the gratitude in beautiful people, or otherwise, you would break down completely. I also talked to a homeless veteran, and I thanked him for serving. It’s important when seeing these heartbreaking things, that we focus on the positive, not necessarily getting drunk on optimism, but definitely being grateful for the beauty that exists within the strength of people in this world. It’s important that we pass down principles of compassion and dignity and respect for other people, and being there for others. I also talk in the video about how I was interviewed, and how I explained to those interviewing me that I do what I do because I care, and how even though that is a very simple concept, it’s enough to push a person to want to be there for others. I also explained how this work is bittersweet: It’s bitter because you see all of the terrible things that happen to others and you see their suffering, but you also see the best in others, and that is the sweet aspect to it. Indeed, one of the beautiful things about Legacy Initiative is that we are there for others, and we are there for each other: It’s about teamwork, and about being the change we wish to see in the world. Ultimately, I am happy that I can be touched in these beautiful ways and make a difference: It’s beautiful, leaving me with a feeling of gratitude, and that everything will be okay, if we believe in each other.