Something to share

I'm still feeling a little puny, as my grandma used to say when one of us felt a little under the weather. It seems I've gotten away from my daily blogging just a little, what with all the activities going on and the holidays. But there are lots of words circling in my head, so stand by. And even though I'm not 100%, I'm far better off than many, many others. When I start to have a little self-pity party, I just have to look at what others are dealing with to get me off the pity wagon.

Rick and I are fortunate to be able to spend time with family this fall and I've got some photos from our visits to share later. But not everyone is so fortunate. Although we are all dealing with some personal hardship, be it health issues, relationships, or money problems, we tend to lose sight of others who are suffering much greater hardships.

We received a very touching email from our friend Steve and I felt compelled to share it with you. With his permission I'm sharing.

Wednesday, 10:25 AM

Rick and Mic,


Your recent comments about the good lives that most of us have were, I hope, taken to heart by your blog readers. I got a lesson of my own in thankfulness two days before Thanksgiving Day when I was approached at a market in a poor community by a slender old black man. He introduced himself by name and said he needed help, although he made it clear he wanted to work and was not a beggar. I had a cup of coffee that I had just bought and was in a hurry to get somewhere, but I talked with the man for a few minutes and ultimately gave him ten bucks.

Well, as you might imagine, I felt happy with myself as I drove off. But several hours later I began to realize that I needed to really help this man. So I looked for him around the market several hours later, feeling a certain sense of urgency. Luckily, I found him and we sat down together to talk. I heard this man's hard luck story from his childhood in Louisiana all the way up to the current time in his poor little community where had come two years ago to take care of his sick mother. She died a year ago, but he remains a polite, dignified man in spite of having no place to stay, no food, no transportation, no phone, only the clothes on his back, not having had any medical or dental care for as long as he can remember. He has as close to nothing as anyone I have ever met.

I gave him more money for food, hoping that he would have something to eat on Thanksgiving Day. But I still knew he needed more help than that. When I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family, I couldn't stop thinking about how unbelievably blessed all of us are, having no idea what other human beings within our reach are going through. So, you can bet I was truly thankful, and I tried to share my feelings with my teenage grandchildren as well as the adults gathered around our table.

When I was younger my cynicism might have taken over, and I would have walked away after the first encounter. But now I have a project. I hope to find him a place to live today and to ultimately get him to Illinois where his adult sons live. They don't know how destitute he is, and he doesn't want to tell them for fear of worrying them. Besides, he has had no way to contact them.

I am telling you this because you know me and will understand that this is unexaggerated truth, and because we should all realize that we cannot be thankful enough. How lucky we are.

Steve

I sent an email back to Steve and asked to know more about this man and the outcome. I will share his reply with you.