My Experience With A Beggar On The Street

In the month of January. I was doing some shopping for my mother and I saw a homeless person begging in the street for money.

I have a motto that I learned from someone who went to India. A high caste Brahmin told a friend of mine that in God’s eyes, even the lowliest beggar deserves more than your spare change.

I have always tried to remember that when I decide to give to someone on the street. If you are going to give, give in a way that makes a difference and give with your whole heart and soul. More importantly, treat that person as a person. Talk to them. Find out who they are and what their story is. You may be surprised as to the gifts that you might receive in return.
But back to the story.

I saw this man with two canes leaning forward as if his hips were in pain. He was about my age. Looked normal. Not like an alcoholic or addict. I tend to give when spirit prompts me. So I give to anyone no matter what a person looks like. But it just so happened that this man looked very normal. So I whipped the car around and when into a parking lot and walked around to give him a twenty-dollar bill.

As I cam up to him he thanked me and said, “Thank you so much for the money but do you know you are the only person who has spoken to me besides my wife for the last 5 days!”.

I was startled and said, “You are kidding?”

“Nope!” He said with certainty.

He said that he had lost his job in the downturn 4 months ago. Then his wife also lost her job. They ended up loosing their house and all their money. In the process of him looking for a job he slipped on the ice and broke his hip. He had no insurance and no way to get help. No one would hire him because they could tell that he needed insurance immediately and that their rates would instantly go up. He and his wife had been on the street for 5 days. All he wanted was to get forty dollars so he could pay for a hotel. All he wanted was to take a bath and have a warm bed for one night.

The poor man was in shock. He told me that both of his parents had been professors at a university and that he had a master degree but no one would hire him because of his condition and because he was overqualified. He could not believe it. He kept repeating, “I cannot believe this has happened to me so fast. I have always worked and paid my own way and in five months everything fell apart and even with a great education he could not get a job. He could not even get a job at Wal-Mart.
I talked to him and consoled him.

Then he told me that the business owner of a nearby store came out and told him that he could not face his store while begging for money. The police were called and the police told him that the beggar was okay where he was as he was on the sidewalk. The store owner was told that he could not tell this man which way he could face while begging for money.
All this man wanted to do was get enough money to get a warm shower and bed.

My heart went out to him and I heard the angels say, “This is only the beginning. It is going to get much worse and everyone is going to have to learn compassion and learn how to work together.”

I could feel the depth of that statement. I could feel my heart reach out to this man. He was so touched that I would spend the time to talk to him.

I felt myself become so grateful for my life, my family, my friends, and how I know that I can count on others if I needed. I could feel the parts of me that in past lives had been in this mans situation.

I kept hearing that phrase, “But for the grace of God go I.”

I also become very grateful for the lessons and opportunities that I have been given in this life and I know that each of us is learning through our own experiences how to open our hearts and become compassionate to everyone.

I feel as if we are all one heart and soul. When one of us is suffering it is important to acknowledge that suffering and be compassionate.

So this month, take a moment to appreciate all you have and to share your spirit and compassion as you see fit in each moment of each day. Allow an angel to prompt you to reach out to someone new and find a place within that can connect deeply human-to-human. You may find that you feel touched, renewed, and blessed by the experience.