Why I Care Too Much About People.

People have told me before that I care too much.

Sometimes it’s said like a compliment, sometimes like a warning. As if caring deeply about other people is something you should be careful with. Something that might eventually burn you out or get you hurt.

Maybe there’s some truth to that. But if I’m being honest, it’s not something I’ve ever really wanted to change.

One thing I try to do every winter is feed the homeless. I don’t like sending money to a foundation and hoping the work gets done somewhere down the line. I prefer doing it myself. Making food, preparing care packages, and handing them directly to people.

Hand to hand.

There have definitely been winters where I wasn’t doing great financially myself. Times where my brain was scattered and my life felt a little chaotic. But even during those times, I still tried to set something aside to help someone else.

Not for social media. Not for praise.

Just because we’re human.

Of course, moments like that aren’t always simple. Some people out there are struggling with addiction, mental illness, or years of hardship. Sometimes they’re angry. Sometimes unpredictable. There are moments where you can feel the tension in the air and realize you’re putting yourself a little bit in harm’s way.

But even then, I’ve never regretted it.

Not once.

I think we live in a world that’s become a little colder than it used to be. Everyone is rushing somewhere, scrolling through something, focused on their own problems. Compassion sometimes gets lost in all that noise.

But small acts of humanity still matter.

A conversation. A meal. A moment where someone feels seen.

When people come to me with their problems, I try to show up the same way. I once saw this visual from a therapist that stuck with me. Imagine someone stuck in a deep hole, overwhelmed and scared because they can’t climb out.

The therapist doesn’t jump into the hole with them.

They stand above it, offering guidance, perspective, and a steady voice helping them find their way back up.

That’s how I try to show up for people.

I listen. I stay present. I try to offer a little light without getting swallowed by the darkness of whatever they’re going through. Whether it’s heartbreak, health issues, financial stress, or something else entirely, sometimes people just need someone willing to sit there and not judge them.

Just being a calm presence can mean more than most people realize.

The truth is, I’ve survived a lot of things in my life too.

My childhood wasn’t easy. There were moments I honestly didn’t know how I was going to make it through certain chapters of my life. And while I know there are people out there who have gone through even harder things than I have, those experiences taught me something important.

If I could survive those moments, I can sit beside someone else while they survive theirs.

Sometimes people just need a partner in crime while they figure things out. Someone to remind them that they’re not completely alone in whatever storm they’re facing.

Yes, caring deeply can be heavy at times.

But I think the world needs more of it, not less.

And if being the kind of person who cares “too much” means someone else feels a little less alone for a moment… then honestly, I’m okay carrying that.