The Szramas

Today on my way home from work I saw something that broke my heart. It was raining pretty steadily as I drove home through the city and at one intersection there was a gentleman outside holding a little cardboard sign. Unfortunately I've seen more and more of those cardboard signs in the past few months. This particular gentleman I remember seeing a few times before holding a sign asking for work in exchange for food. This time his sign said simply, "Laid Off. Work for food or shelter" and beside him on leash was a young dog. As with each one of these people I pass, I wonder what I can do. I don't generally carry cash, so I didn't have any money to give. And as I sat there waiting for the light to change, wondering if I had anything in my car to give, and watching the very well behaved dog being stroked reassuringly by his owner; another hand reach out from a car window behind me and offered an umbrella. I berated myself mentally for not thinking of that first and then watched in my side mirror as the rain soaked man put up the umbrella and then gently sat it on the ground to provide some cover for his dog. At this point the light had changed and I needed to move to keep from blocking traffic, but my eyes started to water. I was on the phone with my Mom as this was happening and I told her what I had jsut seen and how I wished I had cash to give. It broke my heart to see a man willing to work for food and shelter, not just begging for cash, standing in the rain with his dog, and when offered a small reprieve from the rain, offered it to his pet.

There are so many little signs and I seem to see more each week right now. So many signs and each one with a person or a family behind it. I wish that there was something I could do for each of them, especially the new ones I see each week. People in need of things that Greg and I have and do our best not to take for granted. People who I pass everyday and wonder how many others actually see them standing behind their little signs. And my heart breaks knowing that I can't stop in the middle of the highway with leases and meals for each and everyone of them. There are so many suffering right now with material loss in basic needs like food and shelter that I'm almost lost as to where to begin. I only pray that I'll be ready next time I see the gentlman and his dog, to offer a little bit of comfort like the stranger with his umbrella, and that should I ever face such loss or need that someone will be there with an umbrella for me.