And I don't really care if its me.
I was heading out to lunch after I went to the bank to deposit my work check... I saw a man on the corner with a sign saying "Will work for food" Typical... you see it often. What got me was he looked "normal", Lucid and he had a dog. Animals always get to me. I am sure they get others too.
Yes, I have heard the stories about how some of these people have nice cars, nice homes and their job is to stand outside and act homeless. I know this, and being in a hurry I just thought "how sad" and went by... but in a few minutes I turned the car around and went back and handed him $5.00... because I thought "what if this was me and my dog (or cats)" "What if he really is hungry?" So, I handed him the money and told him to please feed his dog too. He thanked me, said he was having a hard time right now.. he acted and spoke just like anyone else you would meet in the store, in a line, on the street. And I felt like I did the right thing.
But I know... he could have been scamming me. But I also know that that is on him if it is so. I did my part to brighten up someones day...to make their load a little easier. And I hope that the spirit moves him when he gets back on his feet, and I hope he does.
Doing good things doesn't require going to another country... doesn't require your life savings... doesn't require your life.
It requires your compassion, your caring, your empathy. It could be holding a door, helping in a soup kitchen, donating food and clothes... or handing $5.00 to a homeless guy and his dog. And hoping that your good deed will go full circle and come back to you if you need it.
So today... I felt good, I felt sad, I felt glad. I hope he feels the same way, but I hope I helped eased some of the sadness I saw in his eyes and his dogs eyes. If only I could ease it for the many others out there in the same situation. I can only try my best to do so. I will do my best. I can make a difference, even if its only a small one. Will you?
Showing posts with label kindness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kindness. Show all posts
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Five things that I would like to see
This is my list of 5 things that I would like to see, you may agree, you may disagree...if you have a comment, please leave it for me.
1. I would like to see more kindness in the world. I would like to see people performing simple and small acts of kindness. Opening a door for a mom with a screaming child, helping someone who is lost find their way, helping an elderly person carry groceries to their car... something, anything! There is too much self centerd-ness in this world...stop thinking about just yourself and concentrate on someone else...even if just for 5 minutes. Small acts of kindness make this world a happier place.
2. I would like to see more people letting go... letting go of past hurts, past drama, past painful memories. That is not to say forget...just let them go, so you can move on and be at peace. I am very guilty of not letting go. I keep past hurts alive with my inability to understand that even though I know someone was in the wrong, it wont make them admit it or acknowledge it, or even see it. I have to stop trying to make a point and just let it go.
3. I would like to see more tolerance. Tolerance for people different than ourselves. I need to be more tolerant of people who are not as liberal minded as I am. I would hope to see that in return. Tolerance for religious preferences... or lack of religious beliefs. I am an Agnostic person... not a bad or immoral person. Tolerance for gays/lesbians and realization of the fact that they do not love differently than us, they do not feel less hurt or want different things in life. We all want to be free to love whom we love, and to be able to commit ourselves to that person for life. Its not less of a leap of faith for them as it is for us. Intolerance breeds ignorance.
4. I would like to see more people owning up to their mistakes and weaknesses. Its easy to say that we are right, its easy to say why we were not wrong... but its hard, oh, so hard...to admit our mistakes and our faults. To admit we were wrong, we did something bad, we hurt someones feelings. Its not just for the benefit of the one whom was hurt, its to our benefit as well. If you cannot admit a fault or a wrong, how can you correct it, or stop oneself from making the mistake again? I don't think we can without being honest with ourselves.
5. I would like to see forgiveness. No-one need forget, but forgiving others, even people who did horrible and unkind things to us...takes away their power over us. Makes us free to confront our anger and fear and deal with it and work on it and move on. Move on to a better place in our lives. I also would like to see us forgive ourselves. Forgive ourselves for past mistakes, for the wrongs we have done either intentionally or not. As long as we have learned from them and been genuinely sorry for them, this is a gift we should also give ourselves. Forgiveness is contagious... Spread the word!
1. I would like to see more kindness in the world. I would like to see people performing simple and small acts of kindness. Opening a door for a mom with a screaming child, helping someone who is lost find their way, helping an elderly person carry groceries to their car... something, anything! There is too much self centerd-ness in this world...stop thinking about just yourself and concentrate on someone else...even if just for 5 minutes. Small acts of kindness make this world a happier place.
2. I would like to see more people letting go... letting go of past hurts, past drama, past painful memories. That is not to say forget...just let them go, so you can move on and be at peace. I am very guilty of not letting go. I keep past hurts alive with my inability to understand that even though I know someone was in the wrong, it wont make them admit it or acknowledge it, or even see it. I have to stop trying to make a point and just let it go.
3. I would like to see more tolerance. Tolerance for people different than ourselves. I need to be more tolerant of people who are not as liberal minded as I am. I would hope to see that in return. Tolerance for religious preferences... or lack of religious beliefs. I am an Agnostic person... not a bad or immoral person. Tolerance for gays/lesbians and realization of the fact that they do not love differently than us, they do not feel less hurt or want different things in life. We all want to be free to love whom we love, and to be able to commit ourselves to that person for life. Its not less of a leap of faith for them as it is for us. Intolerance breeds ignorance.
4. I would like to see more people owning up to their mistakes and weaknesses. Its easy to say that we are right, its easy to say why we were not wrong... but its hard, oh, so hard...to admit our mistakes and our faults. To admit we were wrong, we did something bad, we hurt someones feelings. Its not just for the benefit of the one whom was hurt, its to our benefit as well. If you cannot admit a fault or a wrong, how can you correct it, or stop oneself from making the mistake again? I don't think we can without being honest with ourselves.
5. I would like to see forgiveness. No-one need forget, but forgiving others, even people who did horrible and unkind things to us...takes away their power over us. Makes us free to confront our anger and fear and deal with it and work on it and move on. Move on to a better place in our lives. I also would like to see us forgive ourselves. Forgive ourselves for past mistakes, for the wrongs we have done either intentionally or not. As long as we have learned from them and been genuinely sorry for them, this is a gift we should also give ourselves. Forgiveness is contagious... Spread the word!
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