During a two minute clip, one of my favorite humanitarians explains why he washed the feet of homeless Bostonians.
(12-24-20) For Dr. James J. O’Connell, it began during his residency by washing the feet of a homeless man.
One homeless client wondered aloud how skilled of a doctor O’Connell was if he had been assigned such a humbling task.
But it was that simple act of kindness which opened his eyes to the importance of treating individuals who are homeless as people of worth and launched his career as a street doctor to Boston’s homeless.
I was delighted when CBS’s Sunday Morning show featured Dr. O’Connell recently during a segment called Promoting the Power of Kindness.The eight minute segment raises questions about whether kindness can be taught or is a born trait for some.
I met him when he joined the board of directors of the Corporation For Supportive Housing, a national leader in building housing and developing programs that help individuals in need live independently. (If you want to be impressed read Dr. O’Connell’s bio at the end of his blog.)