Doing things for the homeless

There were so many times when I passed by a homeless person holding up a sign that read some type of story about their life to some that were just simple yet still heartbreaking. It really makes me wonder how people can be the way that they are. Whether they are the homeless man on the street or the person walking by them trying to avoid eye contact. Then there are others who tend to give big. When we see that we might think “oh thank goodness that person is helping them. and they gave them a lot of whatever is was that was given”. However, I believe these moments are few and far between. This make me wonder, is there anything we can do when we don’t have anything? My family grew up not having much. My dad worked all the time to provide for us and we didn’t rely on any assistance. But that’s it. We just made enough to get by.

When I got older and went off to college on scholarships I had never thought much of others when I would see them on the street. However, one day that changed. I started noticing and increasing amount of homeless people. At first in Macon near my school. I would sometimes give them money when I had it, but then I realized that wouldn’t a good idea and a friend advised me to stop. Not only would I be making myself extra broke, but I could possible be aiding a bad habit that person might have had. So, I just stopped in general because I didn’t know what less to do.

One day I was carpooling home with a friend, and I was zoned out as usual when suddenly on the side of the road I saw this very old looking homeless guy who had a sign held up and it read “will work for food”…. Now for some reason this ripped me apart on the inside. I don’t know if was because this guy looked very old and my dad happened to be old and I just really feel for elderly people, or the fact that this guy was also so thin and all he was asking for was food. This led to my first thought of I should always carry food with me everywhere I go. This thought was actually short lived for a while since I typically didn’t have food or money for food when I carpooled to school. However, time went on and I transferred schools twice. Tragedy happened and all I could think of was myself and how I was suffering. Finally, things changed through a lot of praying, but not for what I probably should have been. I began putting what I had planned into practice which wasn’t necessarily “planned” at first. But one day I was driving to school and came across another homeless person and suddenly I thought of the food I had actually prepared for myself while at school. With almost no hesitation I had given it away. It happened so fast I didn’t even realize what I was doing at first. That how I started just giving away just any food I had on me even if I had planned to have it for myself for that day. But I realized It was easier for me to not have food for that moment because I can always go back home and make myself something or have my parents make something for me. Those on the street may have to wait days before seeing any food.

Another thing I realized; we need to put away any preconceived judgments of others. Especially of the homeless. Yes, they could have possible landed themselves in that situations but sometimes not. Sometimes you have whole families living on the street. Sometimes you have elderly people who don’t know how to get government assistance living on their own on the street until they die which is even more tragic. Sometimes its good to just give whatever you have. Recently I bought a few packs of hand and body warmers since it’s near winter. I ran out of nonperishable foods to give and fruit that I had started bringing with me, but instead of letting that stop me, I decided to give something that would be useful for that time even if it was something small like a hand warmer. That might sound silly like what’s a hand warmer going to do, but you have no idea how much that could mean to someone for a little bit of warmth. Giving a little bit of fruit to someone who hasn’t eaten all day or giving a bottle of water to help keep someone from getting dehydrated until they get to the next place they go. Not only have I tried giving small things, but someone else gave me a resource list and I made multiple copies to give to all those on the street as well. So even if I didn’t have food or water to give to someone I would have at least that. It still makes me feel bad that I could give much but, in my opinion, anything can help and I’m sure it’s much appreciated. Also, when we show kindness in these small ways, people can change for the better. Say that homeless person was a drug addict or gambled his life away. Isn’t is possible to for them to change? Seeing kindness in the world could make them want to return the favor in the future to others in an even bigger way. Maybe I’m too optimistic about it but I have yet to see kindness turn someone or something negative. Also, there are quiet a few stories of people going from homeless to giving to other as well as vice versa. We never know what can happen to us one day, so why not spread kindness and give to others in need?