I wrote this on my wall in Dec. to get ppl thinking of Paying it Forward b4 Christmas. I try to live it daily. The true point of all of it was the gift he gave Me! Just sharing is all! So yesterday when I went to pick up my favourite daughter, I was delayed because I picked up a hitch-hiker on the way. Here I am on the Creamery hill just leaving town when just at the brink of the hill I spotted him on the opposite side of the road with his thumb up indicating my direction. I thought for a sec. this is what God put in front of me today- so this I must do! Oh my Goodness, I thought, It is so dam cold out today however did he think he was gonna make it anywhere, out here in the middle of nowhere? I pulled over to pick up one of the dirtiest homeless or transit ppl I have ever met. He had a duffel bag, a knapsack, a brown shopping bag, and another plastic garbage Bag all full of what I was certain was his life belongings. His coat however was a warm parka!(Thank goodness for that!) Then i noticed the huge grey/yellow dreadlocks that were thicker in diameter than my whole abdomen and extended down to his waist with shorter disheveled hair the same colour on top of his head which he kept scratching furiously while in the car. I figured he was my age, although the wear of time made him look at least 25 years older than I. He seemed confused and really wasnt sure where he was going , nor where he wanted to go. After some discussion I realized he wanted to head to Toronto. However he got on this unpopular road heading west ( in the wrong direction) was beyond me. I offered to drive him to the next county intersection. It didnt take me long to realize that I really wasnt helping him much dropping him off there, with an even slimmer chance of anyone picking him up. In the end I turned around and took him to Rockford and at least he was on the right road heading in the right direction, and had the best chance of getting a ride to his destination. He mumbled to himself a lot while in the backseat of the car and I realized how far he had walked carrying all that stuff in this terrible weather. He looked befuddled and I knew inside there was nothing to fear of this man who looked so wild-eyed that one might think he was crazy. It took some chatting to find out that all this man owned was in the few but heavily stuffed bags he was hauling with him. Although he was filthy, and very disheveled, I found myself wanting to invite him home with me, for a warm bath or shower and a hot meal, but my cautious self, prevented me from doing so. Shame on me! I did get him to where I stated and had no regrets going a little of my way.There was also a gas station there where he could get food and a hot drink, and find out about the buses running to Toronto as he had asked about. After he got all his life belongings out and piled on the ground he turned to me and thanked me and extended his hand with a crisp new $5.00 bill in it and said, This is for your gas. I smiled and said Oh Merry Christmas! You know it would not be a christian act on my part if I took any money for this favour! He smiled back and I said God Bless you! You see it was me, he did the favour for. He made me realize how very blessed I am this Christmas season. For a I always say, There but for the grace of God go I, but today, I really felt those words within my heart. As I drove away I wondered what ever happened to him that he ended up like this. I also felt badly that I never asked him his name. I did know he was born in Toronto. I wished I had driven him further on his journey, and I thanked God for giving me the pleasure of doing something so small in my eyes , but am certain it was so much more than that in this mans eyes. Today I found out his name is Brian and he was a professor once who lost his whole family in a horrific car accident. Still by the Grace of God-there go I! Ya know there is not much we can do to change the world when we feel like it is all falling apart . We can however, change the life of at least one person who comes into our lives everyday! Just one kind act, one kind word, one smile even can change the world of another and can take so very darn little from us to give it . When you feel like you are lost in this big world and no body cares try reaching out to another person who may have so much less than you do. I promise you,-- not only will you feel better for doing something for a total stranger, Its what you will gain within yourself about yourself that becomes the treasure, that they gave you ! Just when you thought you were doing something for them, the gift they never knew they gave you- could be more precious than anything you could ever receive. Have a blessed holiday and Christmas Season my friends! — feeling blessed.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 03:05:17 +0000
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