One morning before work, I passed a lone middle aged woman sitting on the sidewalk. Next to her sat several garbage bags full of clothing and personal items. I am guessing that she was homeless.
We stared at each for a few seconds without either of us saying anything. Through her tired eyes, I saw fear and uncertainty. Maybe I should have offered her a kind word of compassion.
I wasn’t sure.
Throughout the day, I couldn’t erase the woman's tired facial expression from my memory. I wondered if there was anything I could have said or done to make her life any better.
I wondered how she ended up in such a terrible predicament. It could have been an abusive relationship, drugs, or even a mental illness. I just chalked it up to terrible luck.
This experience made me realize how fortunate I am. Most of us could never imagine being homeless. But Americans are facing tough economical times. With rising gas and food costs, the nation is also experiencing a rise in foreclosures.
Unfortunately, most American families are within a paycheck away from sitting on a dirty curb carrying their lives around in a garbage bag. As proud Americans, we complain if we have to wait for the cable guy or when life doesn’t go our way. In reality, sleeping in a warm bed and eating three meals qualifies as living in paradise.
The most important things in our lives should be our health, family, and friends. I have seen many people sleeping on sidewalks and eating from trash cans. For various reasons, homeless people lose their keys to paradise. Many of them are former military veterans who cannot make the transition back to civilian life.
It’s been several years since I passed that lonely woman on the sidewalk. I don't know ever became of her, I just hope she was able to get back into the game of life.
We stared at each for a few seconds without either of us saying anything. Through her tired eyes, I saw fear and uncertainty. Maybe I should have offered her a kind word of compassion.
I wasn’t sure.
Throughout the day, I couldn’t erase the woman's tired facial expression from my memory. I wondered if there was anything I could have said or done to make her life any better.
I wondered how she ended up in such a terrible predicament. It could have been an abusive relationship, drugs, or even a mental illness. I just chalked it up to terrible luck.
This experience made me realize how fortunate I am. Most of us could never imagine being homeless. But Americans are facing tough economical times. With rising gas and food costs, the nation is also experiencing a rise in foreclosures.
Unfortunately, most American families are within a paycheck away from sitting on a dirty curb carrying their lives around in a garbage bag. As proud Americans, we complain if we have to wait for the cable guy or when life doesn’t go our way. In reality, sleeping in a warm bed and eating three meals qualifies as living in paradise.
The most important things in our lives should be our health, family, and friends. I have seen many people sleeping on sidewalks and eating from trash cans. For various reasons, homeless people lose their keys to paradise. Many of them are former military veterans who cannot make the transition back to civilian life.
It’s been several years since I passed that lonely woman on the sidewalk. I don't know ever became of her, I just hope she was able to get back into the game of life.
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