Comet
Harvey Wallbanger
Perhaps this is in the wrong section.... perhaps not. Long story, but I'll try to make it as short as possible......
There is this homeless guy I've seen for many months now. He hangs out in the 3rd parking spot of the "sketchy" gas station close to my apartment. The gas station isn't in the nicest neighborhood and the people who run it barely speak English. Yet, it is close and I've comet o know them over the years. Nice, hard working people who deal with more than they should due to the neighborhood.
Anyway, I digress....
This homeless man, just sits there. He never bugs you for money or anything. I've said "hello" an a number of occasions and all he says back is "hello". Never pan-handles, etc.... He just sits there.......
So today I had a dollar in my pocket (I never carry cash). I went over to him and gave him the dollar, introduced myself, and shook his hand. I think it must have been the first time anybody has shook his hand in years! Anyway, I ended up talking to him for about 20 minutes today.
I could tell you his whole life story, but what is the point for those of you who don't care? His name is Thomas, that is what matters. I must digress again and go to a side note here:
*I went to church for the first time in years this past Sunday. It was one of those new "weird", modern churches. Had a bad, pastor wore shorts, etc.... Different from what I grew up in. I liked the message of the sermon (people should be self-feeding in spiritual growth), yet I couldn't help but notice that as much as he also talked about being a family and knowing each other..... nobody knew each other at the church; except for the group in which they sat. At the begining of the service they did this whole "Meet the person next to you thing".... I INTRODUCED MYSELF TO THE 6 PEOPLE CLOSEST TO ME! NOT ONE GAVE ME THEIR NAME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
So back to the moral of this post:
I introduced myself to people in a church who said we should all know and love each other.... I got no name in return. I introduced myself to a homeless man, he introduced himself, I think he got much from my mere handshake, and I got more from him than I did from those at the church.
THIS ISN'T A BANG ON CHURCHES (just got me to think about it), this is about trying to be a better person and treat people like PEOPLE! My meeting with Thomas got me to thinking and really changed my opinion of the homeless.
I don't care for most of them: panhandling, asking me for money, bothering me for change, etc... Thomas has never done that. I'm glad I took the time to introduce myself and talk to him like he were a person as he is one!
Maybe this doesn't make sence to many of you and I couldn't explain it all without a 9 page post. The point of it is this that I'd like to challenge all of you to do the same as I did today.... to go outside of your comfort zone, to treat people like people.
I'm not asking to give to charity, as that is without name. I'd like to ask all who take the time to read this to talk to somebody you don't know and maybe don't "care" for. It may be a neighbor you don't know and don't care for..... a homeless person, etc....
People are people. I think we might all be surprised as to what the gesture of a simple hand shake to a homeless person can do. Even if you don't give them money or anything.... I think it makes them feel like a person again. To shake hands, to talk to another like a REAL person.....
I don't know why, but I would like to challenge you all to do that. I challenge you to treat a person you'd never want to talk like a person. The simple act of saying "hello, my name is...." and shaking hands did wonders for me in a way I don't think I could express in words more than I have.....
If you do, please tell me what happened, etc... I'd love to hear more stories of "regects" of society feeling like people again and what you thought of it. Afterall, we are all PEOPLE and not "animals"......
There is this homeless guy I've seen for many months now. He hangs out in the 3rd parking spot of the "sketchy" gas station close to my apartment. The gas station isn't in the nicest neighborhood and the people who run it barely speak English. Yet, it is close and I've comet o know them over the years. Nice, hard working people who deal with more than they should due to the neighborhood.
Anyway, I digress....
This homeless man, just sits there. He never bugs you for money or anything. I've said "hello" an a number of occasions and all he says back is "hello". Never pan-handles, etc.... He just sits there.......
So today I had a dollar in my pocket (I never carry cash). I went over to him and gave him the dollar, introduced myself, and shook his hand. I think it must have been the first time anybody has shook his hand in years! Anyway, I ended up talking to him for about 20 minutes today.
I could tell you his whole life story, but what is the point for those of you who don't care? His name is Thomas, that is what matters. I must digress again and go to a side note here:
*I went to church for the first time in years this past Sunday. It was one of those new "weird", modern churches. Had a bad, pastor wore shorts, etc.... Different from what I grew up in. I liked the message of the sermon (people should be self-feeding in spiritual growth), yet I couldn't help but notice that as much as he also talked about being a family and knowing each other..... nobody knew each other at the church; except for the group in which they sat. At the begining of the service they did this whole "Meet the person next to you thing".... I INTRODUCED MYSELF TO THE 6 PEOPLE CLOSEST TO ME! NOT ONE GAVE ME THEIR NAME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
So back to the moral of this post:
I introduced myself to people in a church who said we should all know and love each other.... I got no name in return. I introduced myself to a homeless man, he introduced himself, I think he got much from my mere handshake, and I got more from him than I did from those at the church.
THIS ISN'T A BANG ON CHURCHES (just got me to think about it), this is about trying to be a better person and treat people like PEOPLE! My meeting with Thomas got me to thinking and really changed my opinion of the homeless.
I don't care for most of them: panhandling, asking me for money, bothering me for change, etc... Thomas has never done that. I'm glad I took the time to introduce myself and talk to him like he were a person as he is one!
Maybe this doesn't make sence to many of you and I couldn't explain it all without a 9 page post. The point of it is this that I'd like to challenge all of you to do the same as I did today.... to go outside of your comfort zone, to treat people like people.
I'm not asking to give to charity, as that is without name. I'd like to ask all who take the time to read this to talk to somebody you don't know and maybe don't "care" for. It may be a neighbor you don't know and don't care for..... a homeless person, etc....
People are people. I think we might all be surprised as to what the gesture of a simple hand shake to a homeless person can do. Even if you don't give them money or anything.... I think it makes them feel like a person again. To shake hands, to talk to another like a REAL person.....
I don't know why, but I would like to challenge you all to do that. I challenge you to treat a person you'd never want to talk like a person. The simple act of saying "hello, my name is...." and shaking hands did wonders for me in a way I don't think I could express in words more than I have.....
If you do, please tell me what happened, etc... I'd love to hear more stories of "regects" of society feeling like people again and what you thought of it. Afterall, we are all PEOPLE and not "animals"......