Our community is blessed with many, many wonderful things. Perhaps most notably, the world knows Natchez as a place steeped in American history.

Few other places in the country encapsulate so many key points in American history — including the good, the bad and the downright ugly — as well as Natchez.

Aside from our manmade and woman-made history, our corner of the world is blessed with an amazing depth of natural beauty as well. From the Mississippi River’s grandeur to the bottomland hardwood forests to the fertile flatlands across the river, we are uniquely blessed.

But even with all of those very visible, very public features, something better still remains as our key feature — our amazingly generous people.

Sure, we have an ability to fight like the most bitter siblings at times when we disagree, but also like good siblings, the people of the Natchez area will bend over backward to help one another in times of need.

Never is that more visible than when a disaster strikes.

Disaster struck a local family, the Smiths, on Friday afternoon, the day after Thanksgiving.

By Sunday afternoon, the outpouring of love from people who were complete strangers to the Smiths was overwhelming.

Just two days after losing everything but the clothes they wore, the Smiths were settling into a new house, nearly completely furnished with the love and generosity of strangers.

If ever you begin to doubt that the world is filled with goodness — and great, giving people — talk to the Smith family about the outpouring of generosity they received.

As well the people of Natchez know, tomorrow they could be the ones on the receiving ends of such generosity.