Try walking a mile in her shoes

As any person that has jumped the broom can attest to, the first year of marriage is loaded with freshness and transition, enough to drive scholars up the wall looking for answers.

In my case, so far so good.

She hasn't tried to kill me yet, but I guess that's because I keep one eye open at night just in case some object comes flying in my direction.

Nah, I'm not being serious but that's what couches are for, places of retreat after some reckless action puts you in the proverbial "doghouse."

But I've been making less trips outside lately, mostly because we just left the holiday season.

My wife must have been in a giving mood.

However, with the country's recession growing deeper, our opportunities to give to others are also growing.

Various times throughout the year I will see someone out on the side of the road holding up a sign claiming they need money to hitch a ride or at least buy themselves a hot meal.

How many times do we simply turn our heads, ignoring their plight and make some sort of sly remark like, "I bet they'll spend that dollar or two on some hard liquor."

Even I've been guilty of that, but a recent conversation has opened my eyes to our nation, or for that matter the world's, selfish behavior.

For many local motorists, a woman dressed in an orange windsuit carrying an American flag probably caught them by surprise.

To some, it was probably a disturbance, keeping them from getting to their destination in the amount of time desired when they left the house. In the case of others, it stirred thoughts of happiness because of her dedication to her fellow man during their time of need.

Giving up her home, business and possessions, Dayton, Ohio, native Kim Denmark made quite an impression on me without even having to say a word.

On her own personal and spiritual mission, she has walked thousands of miles through close to 20 states in an effort to awaken government leaders about the rising homeless population in the United States.

Her goal is to make it to president-elect Barack Obama's inauguration and hopefully have the opportunity to speak with government leaders about the growing problem.

During one of Will Smith's recent movies, "The Pursuit of Happyness," his character is forced to scratch and claw for every morsel of good luck he can find. At one point, he had to bite his pride and spend the night in a restaurant bathroom.

At these points, it's hard for even the strongest, "most manly" man to keep a dry eye.

But our tears are likely on a smaller basis from those forced into homelessness.

So listening to Denmark speak was an eye-opening experience for me. Walking from state to state, enduring hate and the fact she is homeless like the people she is hoping to represent in Washington D.C., the Ohio woman keeps on with the help of volunteers and several "Good Samaritans" along the way.

One of those people willing to give of themselves was a Spartanburg-area diner owner, who feels it's best to be of a giving heart instead of stashing money under her pillow and saving it for a rainy day.

"A lot of people right now are hurting, and in no way of being helped," said Brenda Davis of Honey Bee's Cafe. "They are taking their money and running, keeping it for their own though they know it can go to help others."

On a daily basis, Davis gets the opportunity to help someone, giving them a meal that will at least hold them for a few hours. During Denmark's journey through, she was a recipient of one of the generous woman's home-cooked meals.

"I feel that it's something we all should do," Davis said. "We all claim to love each other, but if a friend is in need we claim we can't do it. There's no need to be selfish, we have no excuses in this fight..."

And without a doubt I agree.

We take so many things for granted — our homes, family, friends, water, gas, clothes — that we forget our neighbors who are struggling.

Many New Year's resolutions were made over a week ago, but I wonder how many were to in some way help those in need.

Denmark is already on her 21st pair of shoes in her mission to the nation's capital. My question is how many of you would be willing to walk in her shoes?

Joe L. Hughes II (joe@gaffneyledger.com) writes feature and enterprise stories for The Gaffney Ledger.