Pass It On

n my commute home there is a intersection with a traffic light where homeless people usually walk up and down asking people in their cars for handouts. Each day there is a different homeless person, some with missing limbs, a limp, or a poster explaining how they got there.

My usual protocol when passing this intersection is to avoid eye contact, otherwise I will feel even worse about their predicament and the rest of my ride home will be too sad to handle. (yes, selfish) I don't give money to people who ask like that because, unfortunately, a lot of the people on the streets are just going to use it to fuel some kind of addiction. A lot of homeless shelters turn out people because they are addicts, so I don't want to be an enabler and fuel their addiction with cash so they just continue to stay out of homeless shelters. Ah, ok this can get into a big huge political discussion about homelessness, mental illnesses, and addiction, but that's not what I want to talk about. Anywaysssss...

A few weeks ago, as I was sitting at this red light, I read the sign that that day's homeless man was carrying. I don't remember the exact words now, but instead of the usual pity story, he wrote that he wouldn't be homeless long and that as soon as possible he would pay any help received forward (or "pay it forward," if you want to use the Kevin Spacey movie title). He promised that whatever money you gave him, once he was able, he would put it back out into the world for someone else in need. I know that very easily could have been a lie, but it got me. If someone can think of people other than themselves when they have such enormous personal difficulties, I admire that. I wish more people thought like that and lived that way. So I rolled down my window and gave him $20. I'm not bragging, I never give homeless people anything, and actually for the rest of my ride felt so guilty about not giving him more. He made me smile and I don't think I will forget him easily. When he accepted the money, he felt genuine.  But who knows, I'm a terrible judge of character. Even if he doesn't pass it on someday, he still gave me a little more hope in this world.