If you're able, please consider giving a little this season.

brianlux

Please bear with me for a moment while I tell you this story. 

Today, my wife and I drove down to Sacramento to spend Christmas Eve day exploring a cool little district in Sacramento called the R Street Historic District.  I had stumbled onto this interesting part of town last year when I went down to Delta Breeze Records to have some work done on some hi-fi equipment. 

We spent a few hours exploring the area on foot, and from there we took a stroll around a park until dark settled in, and then drove around a bit to check out the Christmas lights. 

During the daylight while walking around the R Street district, there were several times we passed homeless individuals and homeless camps along some of the streets and underpasses.  My intention for the day was to spend the afternoon and early evening with my wife just enjoying some nice time off. 

At one point,while wandering around on foot, a young man asked for some change.  He said, "A little help for a meal?"  I was in the midst of a conversation with my wife and we simply just walked right past the fellow and by the time what he said registered, we were half way down the next block.

On the way home, that incident popped back into my mind and I let out an involuntary groan.  My wife said, "What's wrong?"  I responded, "Oh nothing, I was just thinking about some things I wanted to get done tomorrow."  That was a lie.  I was thinking about that young man.

When we got home, we cooked a fabulous meal that my wife had pre-arranged for Christmas eve dinner.  While gorging on this sumptuous meal and drinking a few glasses of an excellent Petite Sirah,  I thought about the young man and then I began to think about where I was at in 1996, living in my vehicle, at the lowest place in my life.  At one point, with little to eat and not a lot of money, I walking into a Loaves and Fishes food bank to get some food. 

Now, all these years later, back at home, secure and comfortable, I put my head in my hands and just simply wept.  Here I was in a warm, comfortable house, eating a fantastic meal, drinking good wine, living a good life after having been so low those 24 years ago and I hadn't even stopped long enough to give that man even one goddamn dime.

It's not that I've never given back.  I've done so many times these latter years of my life.  But I have also apparently become comfortable enough to let an opportunity to help out someone in need pass me by- to not give even a little bit to this fellow and, worse, to not even acknowledge his need.  So now, with head in hands, tears in my eyes, the shame I felt was over-whelming. 

Yes, I know this probably all sounds like some sappy pulling-at-the heartstrings holiday season story.  But believe me, the feelings are real.  I'd been there.  I'd been down and out.  I'd been locked up after being found passed out from taking handfuls of Xanax downed with a half a bottle of Jim Beam whiskey.  I'd been at rock bottom.  I had know the depths of sheer desperation.  And me, of all people, looked right passed this young mans needs.

Please don't be so uncaring as I was.  Please give a little when you can.  If not for those unfortunate souls who have so little, at least for the sake of avoiding the shame I feel for my insensitive and selfish nature.  I'll give again, because I can.  But I'll never again get the chance I had to give today.

Thanks for taking time to read this. 

Brian

mfc2006

Well said, Brian. That could be any of us. Take care, buddy and take care all.

brianlux

mfc2006 said:

Well said, Brian. That could be any of us. Take care, buddy and take care all.

Thank you, M.  You take care too.

Best wishes to all of you, my PJ friends.

lastexitlondon

As always heart felt care.
Love to you  and your  wife and also thanks for sharing . 

g under p

Hey Brian I hear your story and I understand. Here's a bit of mine. Around this time of year I go to my local bank I get around $200 of $2 bills. I use them to give as tips at restaurants, travel with Uber etc but mostly for the homeless. 

So day b4 yesterday trying to get off interstate 95 traffic was very unusually backed up. Little did I know the the Vice President was here in Palm Beach for some event. Traffic seemed to be blocked in every direction. As i inched toward a traffic light they were several homeless people about mostly women to whom i prefer to give. As one woman walked slowly on my passenger side I reached into my stash and pulled out a bill, rolled down my window so she could see me and handed her the bill. She was hesitant when she saw it was a $2 bill and I said they're somewhat rare but they may bring you good luck. She still seemed reluctant to take it so I reached in and gave her another one. I said please take this and make the best of it use one and keep one. I'll never forget the surprised look on her face. She said thank you several times as we looked at each other for some moments as traffic was not moving.

She moved on looking back as I did the same as I was wishing no one should be in this situation but unfortunately it does. I continued to give out by bills and smiled thinking so this is what Santa must feel like around this day and this time of the year.😊

Peace y'all 

g under p

Ok so I just told that story to my lady of which the Moving Train was the first time I spoke of mine. Now then she told me about something that happened to her.

So she was in downtown Fort Lauderdale and a lady approached her with a sign that said, "If you dont give me money, I'll vote for TRUMP". The oddity about this was that it wasn't October of THIS YEAR it was back in 2016. That homeless seem to know what was about to come, my lady enthusiastically gave her something.

I have to say I cracked up laughing upon hearing that one. My lady said she asked her permission to take a picture and she did. She says later she'll check through her phone if she STILL has the picture. That lady gets some award for sign of the year fo sho.😜😊

✌

23scidoo

To give, is the best thing we all can do..

brianlux

lastexitlondon said:

As always heart felt care.
Love to you  and your  wife and also thanks for sharing . 

Thank you Rob.  Love to you and yours as well.

g under p said:

Hey Brian I hear your story and I understand. Here's a bit of mine. Around this time of year I go to my local bank I get around $200 of $2 bills. I use them to give as tips at restaurants, travel with Uber etc but mostly for the homeless. 

So day b4 yesterday trying to get off interstate 95 traffic was very unusually backed up. Little did I know the the Vice President was here in Palm Beach for some event. Traffic seemed to be blocked in every direction. As i inched toward a traffic light they were several homeless people about mostly women to whom i prefer to give. As one woman walked slowly on my passenger side I reached into my stash and pulled out a bill, rolled down my window so she could see me and handed her the bill. She was hesitant when she saw it was a $2 bill and I said they're somewhat rare but they may bring you good luck. She still seemed reluctant to take it so I reached in and gave her another one. I said please take this and make the best of it use one and keep one. I'll never forget the surprised look on her face. She said thank you several times as we looked at each other for some moments as traffic was not moving.

She moved on looking back as I did the same as I was wishing no one should be in this situation but unfortunately it does. I continued to give out by bills and smiled thinking so this is what Santa must feel like around this day and this time of the year.😊

Peace y'all 

Great story, G.  And what a cool idea with the $2 bills. 

I sometimes give money when approached by a person with a sign at a stop sign or light but I also usually keep and energy bar or two in the console next to the drivers seat so I just as often offer one of those.  For many of these folks, food is at least as important as money.

23scidoo said:

To give, is the best thing we all can do..

Great thought. 23.

Meltdown99

I agree.  I usually donate at the till.  Most of our retailers will add $1 or $2 to charitable causes.  

brianlux

Meltdown99 said:

I agree.  I usually donate at the till.  Most of our retailers will add $1 or $2 to charitable causes.  

Well done, 99!

cp3iverson

I don't give money to people begging but i definitely try to hand them food/supplies.  We’ve circled back to drive thru’s and ordered value meals and all that before. 

One cool thing ive seen at red lights is people keeping these quart sized ziplocks filled with protein bars, toothbrushes/toothpaste, etc. in their cars.   It’s a quick exchange.  

brianlux

cp3iverson said:

I don't give money to people begging but i definitely try to hand them food/supplies.  We’ve circled back to drive thru’s and ordered value meals and all that before. 

One cool thing ive seen at red lights is people keeping these quart sized ziplocks filled with protein bars, toothbrushes/toothpaste, etc. in their cars.   It’s a quick exchange.  

Well done, CP!

lastexitlondon

On Christmas  day I drove through the city centre and saw 3 sleeping bags in different  doorways. All empty and I hoped that they were warm and fed in some kind place. I will be going back this week with some clothes  I think 

brianlux

lastexitlondon said:

On Christmas  day I drove through the city centre and saw 3 sleeping bags in different  doorways. All empty and I hoped that they were warm and fed in some kind place. I will be going back this week with some clothes  I think 

Awesome, Rob.  Spreading the love!

cblock4life

The first time my kids saw a homeless person whom we gave money to they wanted to know what was wrong so we explained it to them, no sugar coating it, all the truth. They cried so looking back it was probly a mistake (like everything else I did that is my fault now) but moving forward they asked to give money to the unfortunate we encountered, like after pro baseball games, etc., so something clicked. 
Thirty years later, walking past a homeless man whom I once again gave money to, my very successful CFO son, republican son and that has nothing to do with me, who was with me asked why I still gave them money (you know just gonna buy drugs, etc)....my response now is that what they do with the money becomes their issue to answer for and not for me to judge, that I did it for the right reasons....and also you just never know if it’s a test and it’s Jesus you’re walking past. The whole republican thing makes me want to puke but that’s a whole different long story. 
It’s nice to hear all the good things you all are doing...Christmas can be such a sad time if you start to overthink it...you just have to do something that helps others and it puts how fortunate you truly are into perspective.
Our city has coat drop offs...nothing official, just what we do. We pile them up near their areas and the next day there gone. 
Happy holidays all! 

cblock4life

cblock4life said:

The first time my kids saw a homeless person whom we gave money to they wanted to know what was wrong so we explained it to them, no sugar coating it, all the truth. They cried so looking back it was probly a mistake (like everything else I did that is my fault now) but moving forward they asked to give money to the unfortunate we encountered, like after pro baseball games, etc., so something clicked. 
Thirty years later, walking past a homeless man whom I once again gave money to, my very successful CFO son, republican son and that has nothing to do with me, who was with me asked why I still gave them money (you know just gonna buy drugs, etc)....my response now is that what they do with the money becomes their issue to answer for and not for me to judge, that I did it for the right reasons....and also you just never know if it’s a test and it’s Jesus you’re walking past. The whole republican thing makes me want to puke but that’s a whole different long story. 
It’s nice to hear all the good things you all are doing...Christmas can be such a sad time if you start to overthink it...you just have to do something that helps others and it puts how fortunate you truly are into perspective.
Our city has coat drop offs...nothing official, just what we do. We pile them up near their areas and the next day they’re gone. 
Happy holidays all! 

cblock4life

I fuck up every time I post....I’m too old for this social media crap

brianlux

cblock4life said:

I fuck up every time I post....I’m too old for this social media crap

Naaah, that was a great story, cblock.  Thanks for sharing it. 

And, hey, look at it this way, if I'm not too old for social media crap, surely you are not!