Clothing drives occur in churches and non-profit organizations throughout the country every week. The concept is not new. However, one that just wrapped up in my hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, this week was a bit different. It was started by a nine-year-old boy.
The good news I want to focus on is not that dozens of people in need received clothing or that countless people donated clothing or money, although that is wonderful news. The part of the story that gives us hope for the future of our community is the pure selflessness of a nine-year-old who could teach the rest of us how to live better lives. He was inspired to act when he noticed a boy his own age with clothes that didn’t fit very well. While others his age (or, sadly, even at adult age) might choose to laugh at such a sight or more likely just ignores it, he thought “let’s get the boy some better clothes.” And then did something about it.
I hope this boy never changes. I hope he continues to observe the needs of others in the community. I hope he will continue to find ways to meet those needs. I also hope that he continues to think of others ahead of himself. Most of all, I hope a lot of other people, including me, can become more like him.
