Today I did a Random Act of Kindness. I want to start this by saying that winter in Alaska is no joke. It is cold. Anchorage may be more temperate that the interior, but it's still cold. While it's March and most places flowers are starting to bloom and the snow is starting to melt, it was -4* this morning. Winters are long and hard. A lot of people don't know that there is a rather large homeless population here. You wouldn't think there would be because of the weather, but there is. And there is one homeless shelter in the whole city. They can only take you in for a few weeks, then you have to leave for a few weeks so others have a chance to stay. It's rather sad. But this is a Republican state and most people don't believe in handouts.
Anyway sometimes I see homeless people on the streets panhandling. Surprisingly few homeless people panhandle here. Usually you just see them walking around town, talking in groups on the sidewalks, but few try to make money panhandling. Anyway, every time I see one my heart goes out to them. It's cold. Standing in one place keeps you cold. I always want to go and grab them a cup of coffee (I know coffee makes me feel better) and give it to them. But I am always on a schedule and have stuff to do. I guess there is always an excuse. Today I had to run down to UAA to take care of some paperwork. On the way home, I was stopped at a light where a homeless man was asking for money and gloves. As I sat there, nice and warm, I realized that the car I was sitting in cost more per month than it would to feed him for a month. I had to get back home to Nate and the kids because we had Girl Scouts, but I had a little money in my wallet. So I gave it to him.
I know that a lot of people are against giving homeless people money. They are afraid that they will go blow it on booze or drugs. Or someone always knows someone who saw a man panhandling and then go get in their BMW and drive away *eyeroll*. But I don't care. That man could go do whatever he wants with that money. He was so grateful he started to tear up. I don't know his circumstances. Some people are alcoholics and drug addicts. Some have mental illnesses and some have just had plain old bad luck. One thing many people don't know about me is when I was in 7th grade my family was homeless. The whole year before that we bounced around from family members house to family members house. But for 7th grade I lived in a tent in a campground. Sometimes I'd sleep in our van. My mom and her husband slept in the trailer. My mom made some really poor choices and married a man who could not get a good job and she chose to do nothing to help the situation out. We never panhandled, but I am sure that they asked family for money. I can't imagine how else we survived. I did nothing wrong. I was 11. I would hate that someone look down on me because of their preconceived notion about why people are homeless. I sometimes think back to those days, being cold and wet, not showering for weeks and it makes me sad that anyone has to live like that, no matter the reason. So if I have a few extra dollars in my pocket, and it won't take away from my kids, I'll gladly give it to someone who is desperate. Someone who could sure use a kind face and a little pick me up. I think next time I'll try to add a cup of coffee too! :)
**NOTE** I am supposed to take pictures of everything I do, but I didn't find it appropriate to ask that man if I could take a picture of him. So I'm going to say it's ok that I didn't snap a picture of this one!
Devi, you have a very big heart!
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