I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my husband to get out of work.
Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would
consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."
"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty car," he said.
I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came.
As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I
needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from
those of higher learning and accomplishments.
No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too.
No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help.
Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that......
From India, Hyderabad
5Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would
consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."
"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty car," he said.
I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came.
As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I
needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from
those of higher learning and accomplishments.
No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too.
No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help.
Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that......
From India, Hyderabad
Good one and morale of the story is that learning is a never ending process. We can learn from each and every experience of life.
From India, Bangalore
From India, Bangalore
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