One of those "Ah Ha" moments

On the 22 of November I had to pick up my daughter at the Philadelphia Airport. Nothing really new, I have been driving to and from the airport alot in the past several years. This time once I had gotten off the expressway and ontoFront Street I stopped at the light and saw this homeless woman on the corner. There have been people with signs there in the past but I really didn't pay much attention to them. Guess my thoughts were I was broke and couldn't really help them. I only had enough money to pay for parking and for the tolls on the way home. This day was different, maybe because it was a woman. Maybe it was because something was telling me to pay more attention. Well on with the story, I drove by her like I did the others but all the rest of the way to the airport I thought about her. It was cold out (well to me at least) and I wondered if she was really homeless. Where did she sleep at night? Did she have kids? Is she out there because she screwed up her life or is it that everything went wrong? (you know, lost her job, her home, etc)Once I got to the airport and reunited with my daughter I had forgotten all about this woman. Kady and I went to a local famous restaraunt for a philly cheese steak and then about 3 hours later proceeded to go back home. As we came to the light again on Front Street she was still out there with her sign. This time as I passed her I took a really good look at her. Her hood was up and her jacket was zippered to the top. As I passed we both looked right at each other. I saw the despair in her eyes! She just look sad and frightened! I thought of her all this past week, especially on Thanksgiving. I could have easily be her. I have more debt than I do money. I live with my mother rent free because I can not afford a place of my own. I drive my mothers car. If I did not have my mother and brother I would be out on the streets.

When I was driving Kady back to the airport on Sunday I saw her again at the light on Front Street with her sign. This time I told Kady to give me some money she was holding for parking. She handed me a dollar and asked me what I was doing. I stopped at the green light on that corner and gave this woman the money. As I handed the money to her I felt how dry and rough her hands were. She looked at me and said God bless you. I said "no, God bless you". God has already blessed me with a roof over my head and a car to drive and even a part time job. So the next time you pass a homeless person, don't judge, just give. In todays world there are too many people like you or I who might be standing on a street corner needing money to buy a warm meal. I feel that this woman was a lesson for me to appreciate all that I do have. I know that my dollar didn't get her much but it helped. I could see that in her eyes.