Homeless NOT Heartless

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Sitting here after watching this video, I actually found myself searching for something to say. We see homeless people all the time and probably pass them by without giving them a second thought.

Life has a funny way of opening our eyes and our hearts to the misfortunes of others. I have seen many homeless people over the years and I’ve always tried my best to avoid them because I didn’t want to have to say ‘No’ when they asked me for money.

I had convinced myself that I was not going to contribute to their alcoholism by funding their habit. The reality was I really didn’t want to give them any money because I sincerely believed that they would simply take my money and go spend it on booze. That’s what I thought all homeless people did.

A Homeless Man Opened My Eyes

Did I know that to be a fact? Absolutely not, but I’d never taken the time to consider what may have lead this person to a point in their life where they needed to beg just to exist. Watching this video made me think, what if I had just asked, “Would you like a coffee and a sandwich?”

I can definitely afford to shout someone a coffee and a bite to eat – so next time I see a homeless person and they ask for change – instead of just saying no – I’ve decided I’m going to go buy them a hot coffee and a sandwich.

That’s all I got to say so I’ll leave you with this poem I found:

The Act Of Giving

Recently, I saw a handicapped man, in his wheel chair.
He held a paper cup, in his hand and sadly asked,
do you have a dollar to spare?

I hated to tell him no, but what could I say.
I never kept any money with me and used my credit cards,
to pay.

I felt so guilty, but what could I do.
Then I looked for my wallet and began, searching it through.
It suddenly dawned on me, I had a change purse,
but had no idea, what’d I’d find.

When I openend it up, I suddenly had, peace of mind.
I counted it very carefully and by some miracle,
it came to exactly a dollar. Just what he had asked for.

You can imagine how exuberant I was, but I wished,
I could give him, so much more. When I went back
and handed him the change, his face lit up,
with a great big smile.

I felt ten feet tall, knowing I did, something worthwhile.
Now, a big load was lifted, as in my heart, it’s a
way of giving.

Knowing, that you helped a person, who was in need and you enabled him, to go on living!
Audrey Heller