People think The Office is popular because it’s funny, but that’s only part of the story.

It’s popular because it’s so freaking sad.

The halfwit boss. The being forced to care about something–in The Office‘s case, paper sales–utterly meaningless in the scope of the world. The feeling like your world is stuck on pause, but you’re nailed to the chair and the remote control is all out of batteries.

The Office is so popular because we can relate.

A good lot of us out here aren’t sure if what we’re doing all day makes much of a difference on the grand cosmic scale. Hell, a fair number of us aren’t even sure what we’re doing is plain good, no less worthy of our one ticket we’ve got to spend on this Cyclone ride we call life.

So when I come across something that my gut tells me is worthwhile and good, I’m drawn to it like a hog to the dinner bell.

Love.

The Love for Haiti benefit is good.

The ten dollars you pay at the door that will go toward medicine and clean water and other necessities in a place where The New York Times is reporting they are no longer counting the dead, they are a good ten dollars.

The money you spend on raffle tickets is good too, because it also goes to the American Red Cross International Response Fund Supporting Haiti Relief. (The prizes, from over 30 local businesses are good too, but that’s a different kind of good.)

The people you meet there–people with the same sweet instincts as you–will be good too, and you’ll be glad to have met such kind-hearted neighbors.

Your help is real. Your help matters.

It damn near goes without saying that dancing to DJs Bee, Cornbread, Oh!Boy and SMedium is a fine old thing.

Helping build Hampton Roads’ reputation as a region that gives is a beautiful thing, at least to civic-minded types like me.

A lot of what we do in this world we’re just not sure about, and we’re never gonna be.

Helping the devastated people in Haiti matters. Come to Love for Haiti and let’s all be good together.

Love for Haiti takes place this Thursday night at the Granby Theater from 6-10. All money from the door, raffles, and drink specials go directly to the American Red Cross International Response Fund Supporting Haiti Relief. Representatives from the Red Cross will be on hand to collect money and answer your questions.