THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 18, 1997 TAG: 9701180033
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 37 lines
Michelle Tomlin resigned last September as director of the Suffolk Shelter for the Homeless, but when no replacement was named she stayed on through the holidays.
So many people needed so much help so badly.
Tomlin left for good earlier this month, with tears in her eyes.
She had paid a high emotional price during two years of directing the shelter and helping more than 150 families.
The days were as long as the pay was short, and she never could erase from her mind the residents' needs.
In her own house, she would look at a toaster or some other household item and think of a family that needed one. She learned to be thankful and grateful for everything she owns.
In a perfectly just world, people like Tomlin would experience the joy of helping without suffering the pain that comes from knowing how much more needs to be done.
In our world, regrettably, people in blissful ignorance of others' needs escape sharing others' pain. It's the Tomlins of the world, the good people who care, who share that pain.
Monday's Pilot carried the good news that we seem to be breeding more and more caring people. According to the 31st annual American Council of Education survey of college freshman, a record 72 percent were involved in some kind of volunteer activity. Also, an increased percentage of freshman wanted to enter helping professions like teaching or medicine.
Obviously, not all the volunteering freshman are helping poor people. But they're helping somebody and learning how good that can feel. With a little luck, they'll remain among the caring for the rest of their life.
The ranks of the blissfully ignorant are too large.
The ranks of the caring are never large enough.