I’m an inveterate shopper and, over a year I’d speak to several thousand shoppers. Young and old, of many different backgrounds, faith traditions and cultures, with a simple greeting like ‘How are you?’ Or ‘Have a great day.’ I wear T-shirts with simple messages such as: ‘We’re all one world family and should love and care for each other.’
I have no agenda other than connecting with people.
During my studies I spent six years in Rome in a community of at least fifty nationalities. It gave me a strong sense of family and a bigger vision of the world.
We are all connected, we have different backgrounds but we all want the same things: a sense of belonging, positive relationships, homes to live in, decent jobs, health care, education and the ability to provide for our children’s needs. We live in a world of plenty, yet many go without, many are homeless, starving, exploited, helpless victims of war and powerless to change these situations.
In Australia we have much for which to be grateful and much to share with those who are struggling or going without. Let us reach out to others in their need both here and overseas as best we can. Let us make contact with people in our shopping centres by a smile or a simple ‘Hello.’
Let us recognize what we do have and shift our focus to those less fortunate and see how we can change their situations and give them hope.
Together we can change lives and demonstrate that we care and respect the dignity of others.
A few years ago, around Christmas time I met a woman who was leaving the supermarket. She had two young children with her and in her trolley, she had a loaf of bread. I asked how she was and how she was coping. The story was a sad one. She didn’t ask for help and reluctantly accepted the money I gave her. I regret not accompanying her back to the supermarket to allow her to fill the trolley.
Recently I met a man walking through a shopping centre and I asked him where he lived and he said, ‘In a tent.’ He did not ask for money or for help, he only answered my question. I gave him most of the cash I had on me at the time. He was grateful and I was as well for the opportunity to meet him, chat to him and let him know that he mattered. He was not ‘invisible.’
We can’t all help but if we can, why not?
Peter J. Davine
Catholic Faith
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