Show a Little Kindness

Image by Ed Yourdon via Flickr

  As an American, I see the sadness on people’s faces and in their eyes. The economy is in terrible shape. So many have lost their jobs, with that a great number have lost it all. Their income, their home and some have even lost their family. Why is it that in times like this, can’t others see the pain of their neighbor, friends and family? I guess that we all have so much on our own plate that we don’t have time for anyone or anything else. I know I’m guilty of it myself. There are times I get so wrapped up in what I’m doing that all I think about is getting it done, not what I can be doing for someone else. I feel shame when I think about it. When riding through cities, I see the belongings of homeless people under bridges, people standing at intersections holding signs, begging for food and money. When I see this, I wonder about them. Where did they live before having to live under bridges? What had they done to make their living? Where is their families? I remember that here in town we had a homeless person that slept in a big box behind one of the stores. I was young at that time, but I still remember asking why someone didn’t do something to help the man. Later he just disappeared, I don’t know what happened to him or where he went. I still think about him to this day. So as you see it doesn’t have to be a big city to have homeless living on the streets.

Image via Wikipedia

 My thoughts on this matter is, that the ones that really want to help these people can’t help because it takes all that we make just to survive. The ones that have the means to help, turn their heads when they see someone asking for help. That person out there could be any of us and the out come would be the same. No bed (but the ground) to lay our heads, Not knowing where our next meal will come from, no why to shower to keep our bodies clean and the fact that no one cares.

Image via Wikipedia

 My biggest problem with all of this, is there really are people out there that needs and appreciates any help that is given. Then there are those who only want money, they won’t accept food when offered. They are the ones that will take your money and buy drugs. These are the ones that worry me the most, but there’s others that can really use the help.  My husband was on a service call last year. He saw a woman standing in the road asking for help. He had stopped and got a couple of burgers for his lunch. Having eaten only one of them, when seeing her he thought, if she is hungry she’ll take the other one. He told me that she was ragged and very thin. So he stopped, handed her the burger which she accept with a big smile and a thank you. We have no idea how long it had been since she had eaten or if she had children that she carried that one lone burger back to and divided it with them. I know that some looks at this as something small, but to her it was kindness shown by him. But if everyone when they saw one of our homeless people asking for help, gave them a burger, a candy bar, a cold soda or even a bottled water. Then that would be something very big, very big indeed!! You will be able to see that you have shown them that at least someone had cared enough to offer a little something. There will be a smile, a light will come into their eyes and they will thank you.