When the Heart Speaks

There are moments when the heart speaks, but we are torn between whether or not we should listen. The challenge is to listen and accept that the universe is speaking to you, even though the reasons may be unclear. Such an event happened to me.

I had stopped at my local supermarket to pick up a few things around lunchtime. As I got out of my car to go into the store, I was approached by a very disheveled elderly man. He walked up to me, shaking some change that he had in his hand and said, "Could you help a guy out to get on the bus?"

Now, anyone who has ever spent time in or lived near a large city knows that this is a common occurrence. Eventually, panhandlers achieve a level of invisibility because there are so many. Sometimes I give a panhandler a few coins. Most of the time, though, the assumption is the money will be spent on liquor or drugs. This is a built-in preconceived notion, despite a lack of evidence. That day, I told the man that I was sorry, but I had no change in my pocket and went into the store.

When I got inside the store and walked up to the counter to make my purchase, a female customer behind me asked for the manager. The customer told the manager there was a "vagrant" in the parking lot asking people for money and that the store should do something about it. I understood her point, but it did not sit right with me.

After securing my purchases, I got back in my car and headed home. The closer I got to home, the more I felt the need to go back and find the man. But I suspected by the time I returned, he would most likely be gone. I also continued to question what he might do with the money. Eventually my heart overpowered my head, and I did a U-turn in the middle of the highway and headed back to the vicinity of the store.

As I entered the left lane to turn back into the supermarket, I looked to my right and saw the man sitting at the bus stop. At this point I was all the way to the left, with four lanes of traffic to my right and cars everywhere. Normally, there would be a line of cars behind me waiting to turn, but, oddly, I was alone. Suddenly, all four lanes of traffic were completely clear, allowing me to cross to the side of the road where the man was sitting.

I called him over, and he approached my window. I handed him several dollars through the car window. He looked at me and, with a tear in his eye, said, "God bless you." He told me he was waiting for the bus in hopes that he could convince the driver to let him ride for free so that he could get back home. I told him he was welcome, and I drove off.

I will never know why I was moved in that moment to do what I did. I just know that my heart was speaking to me, and I listened. On the drive home, I felt the power of compassion swelling inside me. The universe had put me in a situation where I needed to respond, and fortunately, I listened to my heart and, as a result, helped someone in the process. Sometimes, we just have to follow our heart without question when it is speaking that loudly.

Keep your eyes open, and watch for your moment today. You may find yourself doing something that you never expected or not fully understanding why you did it. But you will know in your heart there was a reason for that moment, and you will have enriched your life—and someone else’s—just a little bit more.