Life in Paradise
I usually get to my job early enough to beat traffic and find a free parking space.
One particular morning while thinking about my first cup of coffee, I passed a lone middle aged homeless woman sitting on the sidewalk.
Next to her sat several garbage bags full of clothing and personal items.
We stared at each for a few seconds without either of us saying a word.
Through her tired eyes, I could see fear and uncertainty.
Maybe I should have offered her a kind word of compassion...
I wasn't sure.
Throughout the day, I couldn't erase the homeless woman's tired facial expression from my memory.
I wondered if there was anything I could have said or done to make things better.
I wondered how she ended up in such a terrible predicament.
It could have been an abusive relationship, drugs or even a mental illness.
I just chalked it up to terrible luck.
This experience made me realize how fortunate many of us are.
With all of our accomplishments, we could never imagine being homeless.
Many Americans are facing tough economical times.
With rising gas and food costs, the nation is also experiencing a rise in foreclosures.
A day doesn't pass without reading about someone losing their home.
Unfortunately, most American families are within a paycheck away from sitting on a dirty curb carrying their lives around in a garbage bag.
As proud Americans, we complain if we have to wait for anything or when life doesn't go our way.
For most Americans, sleeping in a warm bed and eating three meals qualifies you for a life in paradise.
The most important things in our lives should be our health, family and friends.
I have seen many people sleep on sidewalks and eat from trash cans.
For various reasons, many homeless people lose their keys to paradise.
Many of them are mentally challenged or former military veterans unable to transition back to civilian life.
It's been several years since I passed that lonely woman with her life stuffed into garbage bags.
I don't know what became of her, I just hope she was able to pick herself up and get back into the game of life.
One particular morning while thinking about my first cup of coffee, I passed a lone middle aged homeless woman sitting on the sidewalk.
Next to her sat several garbage bags full of clothing and personal items.
We stared at each for a few seconds without either of us saying a word.
Through her tired eyes, I could see fear and uncertainty.
Maybe I should have offered her a kind word of compassion...
I wasn't sure.
Throughout the day, I couldn't erase the homeless woman's tired facial expression from my memory.
I wondered if there was anything I could have said or done to make things better.
I wondered how she ended up in such a terrible predicament.
It could have been an abusive relationship, drugs or even a mental illness.
I just chalked it up to terrible luck.
This experience made me realize how fortunate many of us are.
With all of our accomplishments, we could never imagine being homeless.
Many Americans are facing tough economical times.
With rising gas and food costs, the nation is also experiencing a rise in foreclosures.
A day doesn't pass without reading about someone losing their home.
Unfortunately, most American families are within a paycheck away from sitting on a dirty curb carrying their lives around in a garbage bag.
As proud Americans, we complain if we have to wait for anything or when life doesn't go our way.
For most Americans, sleeping in a warm bed and eating three meals qualifies you for a life in paradise.
The most important things in our lives should be our health, family and friends.
I have seen many people sleep on sidewalks and eat from trash cans.
For various reasons, many homeless people lose their keys to paradise.
Many of them are mentally challenged or former military veterans unable to transition back to civilian life.
It's been several years since I passed that lonely woman with her life stuffed into garbage bags.
I don't know what became of her, I just hope she was able to pick herself up and get back into the game of life.
Source...