The act of giving to charity and strangers is strongly American. It’s not because Americans are rich, it’s because collectively they believe in sharing and giving to the needy.
Donating one’s symbolic dollar, or more, goes a long way; it literally counts.
Obviously, we tend to put our family and friends first and take care of their needs, but at the same time we manage to expand on that psyche by giving to those we never met before: complete strangers.
And that’s when our contributions double up as a monetary and emotional gift. By opening our hearts and wallets to strangers, we don’t seek proof of one’s misery or hardship in life; donors do the right thing and simply give.
The loss of a young person is one such reason to give to the family struggling with financing her very last rites and burial; in ancient Greece, a coin was placed on the lips of the deceased to pay the ‘ferryman’. As life ends on this earth, we are left with one last bill – but it’s our relatives and friends that have to pay it. They are left with the double task of having to juggle emotional distress and a steep financial burden.
Please help out with that bill for Brianna Berrier, and your contribution won’t go to waste.
Yes, and insurance doesn’t cover a dime of this. If I may blast Aetna as the worst insurance company. Well of the big insurance companies that is. Horrible.