Editor,
The Interior News editorial about being gracious (“Be gracious” Interior News, Nov. 27, 2019) was spot-on.
I have a friend who is homeless, and the layers of complication that together form the condition of homelessness defy easy solutions. Simple money and ‘stuff’ won’t fix his issues. In fact, I can’t think of anything that will. He’s too complicated.
But the editorial’s word “graciousness” will always—always—benefit him. People being gracious with a smile and a decision to withhold passing quick judgments and easy solutions will always be seasonable.
The editorial’s call to our community to extend this graciousness is timely. It doesn’t put my friend directly into a house, and it doesn’t fix his mental illness, but it does acknowledge his humanity.
We have nothing to lose by seeing and loving his humanity. And in the meantime, our community must work for more care and tangible housing spaces for these human bearers of dignity.
This is graciousness.
Tom Grasmeyer
Smithers