Let me begin by saying I believe in signs. Have you ever exited a freeway off ramp to find someone standing there with a sign? It can be anything from need food, homeless please help….you know the ones. Every time, I feel uncomfortable, I feel guilty and often, even ashamed when I do not roll down the window and give.
I have interviewed many founders and executive directors of homeless shelters and all have advised me never, ever give in this way, and so for the most part I haven’t. I have also learned from past experience. A time at USC when I ran across the street and used my allowance to buy a hungry man groceries, only to be yelled at that he didn’t want the food. A blind man, who took my money and then loaded up his wheelchair in his van and drove away.
I’m sure my experiences are exceptions but nonetheless, experiences that changed my giving in this manner….until the other day. It was the long holiday weekend and we pulled off the freeway and missed the light. So there we were, trapped with a handsome young man and a sign. I tried to turn my head away to avoid eye contact, feeling that creeping feeling of shame, when the most unexpected thing happened.
He picked up a cello, which was broken and patched together, that I hadn’t seen, and began to play. I rolled down the window to hear and he smiled a beautiful smile and told us he wrote the piece and started playing at the age of 11. We were entranced, as were all the other motorist around us. We couldn’t open our wallets fast enough and when the light turned green, we wanted to cry and never wanted his beautiful music to end.
The joy this beautiful music brought was a gift and a sign. A sign to open my heart, my eyes and my ears to all that is around me. When I do that, beauty is everywhere, you just need to look and listen to the signs.
Charity Matters.
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2 Comments
Heidi. What a wonderful story. I too, believe in signs. The Universe is speaking when we are filled with a particular emotion. I keep a one dollar bill in my car visor, and give it to a homeless person, when I am stopped at a light. Each day I “refill”. I have met one particular gentleman near the onramp to the 210 freeway on Altadena Dr. who has a regular “schedule”. His name is Steven. I don’t know anything about him, except that he must have a family somewhere. He always smiles when I greet him with my folded up bill. Sometimes, I give him a toothbrush or clean socks. I always ask him to “do right”. He smiles, nods and says “Yes Ma’am ” Something about that connection makes me smile too. I cannot judge what he will do with the money he receives standing there, but he is a human being, who belongs to someone, somewhere.
Leslie,
Your words and story are so beautiful and will be in my head every time, I see someone in need. You are so right, a human being who belongs to someone somewhere. Thank you for sharing.