Touching other lives

Reach out and touch somebody’s hand…
Make this world a better place
If you can…!

I once stopped behind several cars at a junction. It was raining and the wind was icy cold and blew relentlessly. Ahead of me a young beggar woman stood alongside the street rubbing her bare hands together and dancing in place to keep warm. Beside her rested a sign that read, “I have a baby and no food.” She was obviously crying, likely from the biting rain.

Homeless and unemployed people are a common sight in many of our larger cities, and we motorists drive by without offering assistance. We have been taught that giving money fosters a dependent lifestyle, or the ready cash may be used to purchase drugs or alcohol or another substance rather than the food it was intended for.

This, of course, is true, but I am reminded of a college friend of mine who encountered a homeless man on the sidewalk. He took some money from his wallet and handed it to the unfortunate stranger. His friend commented, “Why did you do that? He’s just going to spend it on booze or drugs.”

My friend replied, “Yeah…like we’re not!”

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