About a month ago I was driving with my mom after a day of shopping. We stopped at a red light and my mom noticed two street kids about sixteen or so with a sign reading "Donations for food please". "Would you look at that?" my mom muttered. "I know" I said, thinking ya right- money for food. Those lazy, drop out drug addicts should go back to school and go back home. Before I could voice my judgment outloud my mom was passing them ten dollar bills out the window! "Those poor kids" she said. My face immediatly flushed in shame. "yes, so sad" I agreed. My perspective immediatly changed. Who was I to look at someone right in the eyes who is asking me for help and say no! Lesson learned.
Last night I was grocery shopping at a new store in a more urban part of the city. I was in a hurry returning the cart when an older homeless man approached me. "Please" he said with a kind of deperation I have never known. "Do you have anything to spare at all- a penny a dime anything?" "No" I said truthfully as my purse was in the car. As I went to start the ignition I noticed my wallet had fallen onto the seat. I looked at that old man through new eyes. I thought of the children he may have and the mother I know he has. She once looked at him like I look at my son now. She didn't want this for him and niether should I. I dumped out my wallet and chased him down the street to give him everything I had. He stared at me like I was the crazy one and looked me right in the eyes. "Thank you" he said sincearly.
No, thank you mom!
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