This morning my daughter Megan and I were taking the same public bus. I was going to work and she was going to high school. When we got off at the Main Street stop there was a homeless woman sitting inside the shelter, her ankles were badly swollen, she had dirty clothes on and all her possessions in a grocery cart. I’ve seen her many times since I’ve worked downtown, but never once have I taken the time to speak to her. This morning she asked me for some money so she could buy something to eat. I opened my hanging wallet and gave her some change that I had; she said, “thank you, God bless you” and gave me a beautiful smile. Megan was half way down the block by then, and when she realized that I was lagging behind she waited for me; a month ago she would have been tapping her foot in frustration. Since she’s been taking the bus and seeing the poverty that some people live in she’s become more patient with me.
We proceeded to my office, and then to the coffee shop in the building. I gave her some money and told her to get something to eat, she kept saying she wasn’t hungry, I told her ‘of course not, it’s only 8:00 am; wait until later I guarantee you’ll be hungry’. She bought a package of Hostess cupcakes and went on her way to school, and me back to my desk.
She called me when she was on the commuter bus to school and she was crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said, “remember the woman at the bus stop, she was still there when I went to the stop, she asked me for some money but I didn’t have any, I apologized for not being able to share anything with her, and she said, ‘God bless you!’”. Then Megan said, “Mommy I’m sorry for saying I wasn’t hungry, and not wanting anything. That woman made me realize how fortunate I am, and I’m sorry for taking the things you do for me for granted.”
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