Open your heart to kindness in the right place.

(Baonghean) - When talking about the destitute and impoverished who have to beg for alms from strangers, everyone knows the folk song "Who is a beggar?/ I am a beggar/Hungry for food, ragged clothes, so I become a beggar."

This folk song, on the one hand, calls for empathy for those unfortunate individuals by reminding everyone that anyone can become a beggar when they unfortunately fall into dire straits. Therefore, it is necessary to empathize, share, and help them. Because who knows, one day, unfortunately... we might desperately need such help. On the other hand, the song also aims to affirm that beggars must be truly "hungry and ragged," not just pretending. That hunger and raggedness may be due to illness or old age, completely lacking the strength and ability to work and earn a living, and having no support whatsoever. It's not like the present day, where many people are not old, weak, or seriously ill, but rather young and healthy, yet lazy and unwilling to work, they still resort to begging. Some even establish networks that turn begging into a profession with sophisticated and cruel schemes to extort money from others. The reason this needs to be discussed is that in recent days, there has been much public debate about major cities, some of which have implemented and others have issued orders to round up homeless people and place them in social centers, ban beggars from operating in their areas, and encourage people not to give money to beggars. The media has reported and written articles in a supportive tone, calling for community support. The reasoning given is that giving money creates opportunities and encourages beggars to wander, giving those who are "lazy and greedy" a chance to exploit and deceive people's generosity. If you want to do charity, go to charity organizations or social centers... But some people react by saying that doing so is "calling for the closure of compassion," "closing the door to the heart"...

No, that's not it. There's no such thing as closing your heart, as some people mistakenly believe due to overwhelming emotion. Compassion must be placed in the right place. It must both help and protect those less fortunate, while simultaneously promoting beauty and eliminating ugliness. Giving money to beggars indiscriminately and emotionally will only encourage more begging, and more exploiters will emerge. The streets will become more unsightly, and society will become less beautiful. It's best to gather these unfortunate people in one place and care for and nurture them attentively. Kind-hearted people should go to these places to show their compassion. Doing so isn't closing your heart, but opening it in the right way and in the right place.

Confidant