You never know who you are talking to. One night in November I decided to walk between work and class. Its just 1.5 miles and with 30 minutes, a brisk walk gets me there on time and re-energized. I decided, however, to take a different street than I usually do. I thought it would provide a good change of scenery. About 2 blocks in I was stopped by a homeless man on the street. I try to make a point to acknowledge everyone that I pass when they speak to me and at least wish them a good day if I don't have anything to give. I told this particular man that I had no money or food with me, but that if he would like company, I was walking to a class and he could join me. He said he would like that. We started talking about how he got into the situation he was in. He finished college, never found a job, and had no friends or family in a position to help him and he, his new wife, and his baby ended up on the street. He shared his frustration that people walk around him or right by without a smile, nod, or any form of acknowledgement. I asked him about faith in his life. He told me about the church he belonged to and how the Savior gave him hope. We talked about prayer and I suggested he try praying in his own words. He suggested that I make my prayers more specific. By the time we parted, I felt overwhelmed by the thought that there was little difference between this man and myself. It could just have easily been me as it was him.
Jump ahead 2 months....
Just last week, when I was walking to class again, the same man approached me, at first to ask for money until he recognized me by my different colored eyes. I asked how he had been and he told me that while they were still struggling, they had made it in to a shelter and that he was able to clean up for job interviews again. He told me that they have all of the diapers for the baby that they need and there are just a few things that he is still trying to scrape up to get them by. He then took me off guard by giving me a huge hug and saying that our conversation about prayer had really impacted him.
I can talk about "human rights" and say that we are all children of God until I am blue in the face, but this man, and the other dozen or so homeless men and women that I have since taken the time to meet, have humbled me. They helped me connect that knowledge to my heart and have changed me for the better.
I do not have much to give, but what I have is not really mine any ways, it has all been given to me by Heavenly Father. I am sure that many that I have given my spare change to have not used it in the way that they claimed they were going to, but I would rather find out later that they had been untrustworthy, then have my judgement run false and walking by someone in real need when I could have helped. I am sure this is not a novel idea for many of you. I have some of the most open, kind, and charitable family and friends ever, but this is a lesson that that my new life in Boston has made real for me, and I am so grateful for it!
