In a time when race is such an issue, a simple exchange between 2 people of different backgrounds confirms that we are better than what we seem to be at this particular moment in time. A small glimmer of hope for humankind is confirmed.
David is a homeless man who graces the corner of my neighborhood on 27th Street & 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. We share chats from time to time and I help him out with a few bucks here and there. The other day as I sat with him for a bit, he told me how invisible he feels sometimes. He didn’t say it with anger or judgment, just very matter of fact. He continued to tell me a story about a woman who stopped in front of him to give her dog a treat. He was so hungry that he was tempted to take the treat from the dog. He chuckled and shook his head. “Some people tell me they’ll get me later, but later never comes,” he said.
As I got ready to leave, he handed me a loaf of bread. “What’s this?” I asked. “A woman gave this to me earlier, but I want you to have it,” he said. I insisted that I wasn’t going to take his bread. But he was adamant. “Please take it. It makes me feel good to give you something for a change.” So I took it. I took this loaf of bread from a homeless man.
In this small exchange I see hope, love, light, compassion and unity. I share this story to convey that we are bigger and better than this ugly piece in our history. That we are capable of dissolving the hatred and fear. That we are all connected in this world and our similarities outshine our differences.
