We have plenty of panhandlers in my neck of the woods. I'm sure the same could be said of yours... In fact, I gave money to a guy Wednesday morning on my way home from the gym... Some of them get started early.
A few months ago, some friends and I had a (brief) discussion about panhandlers. I'm sure we can all agree that folks living on the street is a deplorable state of society. I know that some folks choose the lifestyle, but many don't and it's an awful thing. I wish I had a solution, especially for this country's veterans.
My point though, is not the hows or whys of someone who begs for money on a street corner, but my reaction to them....
I firmly believe that there are angels among us, and that some of those angels could be these panhandlers. It's not up to me to judge whether they are seriously so down on their luck that they're reduced to begging or whether it's their chosen profession. It's my job to open my heart and my wallet, if I have some cash to spare. And I always try to have some to spare. I cheerfully hand over four or five bucks and make someone's day. Yes, really. I give that much, because if they really need a meal, fifty cents or a dollar isn't going to get them far. I like to fund an inexpensive meal at a local fast food joint. Now if they're smart, maybe they'd go to the grocery store and get more bang for the few bucks I gave them, but that's on them.
What's on me is being as generous as I can even when I'm struggling. I still have a roof over my head head and regular meals and a car to drive.
Have a great weekend.
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