Blessed Teresa of Calcutta said the greatest poverty of all is loneliness. As part of a campaign to reach out to older people this Christmas season, the UK department store John Lewis produced this TV ad called “The Man on the Moon.” It’s the story of a young girl named Lily who looks at the moon one night through her family telescope and sees a man. She watches as he goes about his chores all alone, and she becomes determined to send him a message to let him know that someone on Earth is thinking about him.
During this year’s Advent and Christmas seasons, let’s remember those who are alone or forgotten and find a way to reach out to them—even if it’s just a smile or a kind word.