This is my first ever blog. I experienced something tonight and I wanted to share what happened. I am not trying to bring myself any praise or anything. Instead, I hope to inspire you to think outside of your norm and embrace unique opportunities that are presented to be a blessing to someone else.
My daughter, grandson and I stopped at the gas station on our way home from dinner. On my daughter’s way into the store, she saw a couple, that appeared to be homeless sitting on the ground, sharing one jacket to help keep them warm. She asked if there was anything she could do for them, and they said they would appreciate whatever was given to them. She bought them a meal and a drink and brought it out to them. She said they were very thankful, but she could tell they were cold.
There is a reason why I am a hoarder of all the blankets. We came home and I dug out two large, warm blankets out of the closet. My grandson and I drove back to the gas station to find the couple huddled together, shaking from the cold. My grandson and I brought the blankets over to them and covered them both up. They thanked us several times and thanked God for providing warmth for them. Whether you believe in God or not, prayers were answered just by that small act of kindness.
I don’t experience opportunities like this all the time, but when it slapped me in the face, my first thought was I need to help these people. I have no idea what their story is. I don’t know if they are actually homeless or not. I don’t know if they are drunk or on drugs. I don’t know if they have a job, or a family, or absolutely anything about them. But what I did know was that none of those matters. They are human beings and if I were in that situation, I did what I would pray somebody would do for me. Help without passing any judgement.
Tonight, I am going to pray for this couple. I pray they receive multiple blessings. I pray they have shelter. I pray they have food. I pray they have people in their lives that can help them or guide them in the right direction. I pray they are safe. I pray they are warm. I pray they find peace in the middle of the chaos. And I pray they are encouraged by the kind act of other people. People that give without expectation. People they will probably never see again. I believe sometimes we are called to a specific location at a specific time to be the divine intervention that someone else desperately needs at that exact moment.
I truly understand that we cannot help everyone. I wish we could. But we can choose to do small acts of kindness. I am teaching my grandchildren to have compassion and empathy for other people. I am teaching them to give without expecting anything in return. There is so much evil in the world. Sometimes we need to remind others and be reminded ourselves that there is still good in the world. And people can be nice and do things that they don’t have to, purely out of the kindness of their heart. And the world needs to experience more of that.