12/19/2025
Re-sharing this post from local writer and former PPP participant Theo Fountain. Theo remembers one holiday season when a gift from a stranger reminded him that he is worthy of love and respect. His piece articulates the life-changing impact that small acts of kindness can have in our communities--a much-needed reminder as we head into another Code Blue.
"I am now housed and in recovery, but I think about that woman and her gift every time I pass Christmas Village. I wonder if we’ve passed each other since then, if she remembers. I want to explain what it meant to me: how tired and cold I was, the relief I felt finally getting warm. How a thousand people passed by me—not that I expected their attention or pity, but how it felt knowing I wasn’t one of them. I was a piece of scenery, blurry and ignorable.
Whenever a person like her reached out to help, it had a profound and lasting effect on me. Together, these kind gestures make up a bright constellation in my life. They’ve been lifesaving for me, not only inspiring a reclaimed faith in humanity, but also providing direction. I want to be more like that woman, like the people who were kind when I had nothing. I want to be a good neighbor like her."
Photo courtesy of the author. Left to right: Henry Fountain (author's brother), their father, Theo Fountain (author).By: Theo Fountain
