Catching Fire

Not the movie, part two of the Hunger Game trilogy, although that might be an interesting blog at some point, this is about other things catching fire. A shed on the old Gilman Paper Mill site caught fire last night. I noticed several bonfires of varying sizes and sophistication (some on the ground and others in outdoor chimney pots and fire pits) while I was out and about on Christmas Eve looking at lights. We have had some chilly nights here in South Georgia and I have recently noticed a couple of homeless people here too. I am not talking about the scammer types that I've seen holding signs at various strategic intersections (Exit 1 and the outer reaches of Walmart’s parking lot) but people that look seriously confused, distressed and dirty, talking to themselves or driving a bike or shopping cart loaded down with a mish mash of worldly possessions. There are plenty of patches of deep woods and abandoned places like the shed on the old mill site to hide out in around here. If homeless people are considered an urban blight maybe we aren't so urban as to have no choice but see them, but I have seen people cross the street to avoid crossing their paths. I've also taken note of lots of overflowing trash cans along the post-holiday roads, my own included. The garbage collectors were a day off in their schedule, because of a day off for Christmas, I am guessing. In a place where there were so many wrappings and so much waste to cast off, and the holidays essentially behind us, perhaps we can still find compassion for those that found no room at the inn, and are still needing shelter, warmth, and sustenance.