Helping Hands discussion

It’s been a little while since we’ve gotten together and now the holidays, the usual time for people to be more charitable, are over.

Does anyone have any experiences they would like to share? Something that YOU did for someone else? Something someone did for you? Something you witnessed as an act of kindness from one fellow human being to another?

Let’s share!

Now, I do not want to sound like I'm boasting or blowing my own horn, I just have a couple of experiences to relate that really helped me out in my life at these times. They may be doing something for someone else, but in the end, I am the one who benefits, have you seen that in your life, too?

This past summer of 2018, it was particularly hot. The weather was in the upper 90 degrees (F) and to me, that's a bit warm to be outside!

I took a cooler and filled it with two bags of ice cubes from the convenience store and a couple of 24 pack bottles of water. I drove around town and gave out the cold water to anyone I saw walking around outside that day.

I did start at the homeless shelter because I know in the rules there, the residents are made to go outside during the day and can only sleep there at night. So needless to say, there were a lot of people sitting around in the heat. So I gave out my water.

I still had plenty left so I drove anywhere I found myself and just handed these bottles to everyone I saw. Some were really grateful and said "God bless you" or something to that effect, of course others acted like it was nothing big, or they gave me the impression that they thought they were 'entitled' to the water, like it was their 'right' to take cold water from anyone giving it away. I admit that left a bad taste in my mouth, but I shouldn't think that way. If they felt they wanted it, I was there to give it to them. And there were a few people who actually declined the water. And that's okay, too.

But at the end of my journey, I felt happier for having done that. It wasn't a big deal, ice and water are relatively cheap, a little gas, but the good feelings I had afterward are well worth it!

I had had a bad day that day, I was actually sitting in my trailer, on the couch crying and having my own pity party of one. So that's when I came up with the idea, and it really helped me. :)

This same summer of 2018, while I was giving out the water (as noted above), I met an older Hispanic man who was sitting at a bus stop with his backpack and probably all his belongings inside. I stopped and gave him some water. He didn't speak much English and my Spanish is a bit rusty but I understood a little bit of what he was saying.

After I gave him the water he asked if I had a blanket he could have. I actually had a spare blanket I keep for emergencies in my trunk. So I gave it to him. He asked if I had another one because it gets cold at night and he sleeps in the parking lot of the older, now abandoned homeless shelter. I live in the desert and though it is hot during the day, it does get to in the 50s at night and I can see how he would get cold. I didn't have another one to give him. I felt badly about that.

His name was Miguel. He was really sweet and I vowed that I would get a heavier blanket and try to find him again.

I went down to the second-hand store and got a great deal on a heavy comforter and bought a pillow. I carried that around, wrapped with a couple of bungee colds so he could carry it on his back, in the back of my car. For several days I drove to where he said he slept and never found him. I drove all around town for several days, too.

Needless to say, I never found him again and couldn't give him the comforter. It makes me sad for him and I know there are many other people out there in need of warmth in the evenings. Especially now that it is winter here, I think of those people.

I know it's the thought that counts, but I hope he is surviving alright. That experience was sort of bitter/sweet.

Then one other time in the fall of last year, 2018, it rained for several days. I work at Home Depot and we were having a sale on those large golf umbrellas for $5 each. These umbrellas are huge!

So I bought five of them and drove around town. I only managed to find 3 people outside and gave them an umbrella. Again, I found a homeless Hispanic man, this time he looked middle-aged crouching behind a bus stop wall. I didn't know the word for umbrella in Spanish and again, he didn't speak much English. So I showed it to him and asked if he wanted it. He smiled really big and was happy to have it.

The others to whom I gave the other two umbrellas were a bit leery about me wondering who I was and why I was giving them an umbrella. One lady was hesitant just to come to the car door. She was also homeless with another, older lady. Of course, the umbrella was big enough for the two of them so I decided to save the other ones for other people. She kind of nodded and took the umbrella. Again, it's the thought that counts.

Just because of that one man by the bus stop, I felt great satisfaction in giving out the umbrellas. I still have two left and I plan to do that again. Unfortunately, I have procrastinated and haven't been out and about since then, but the intention is there and I hope to do it.

Anyone else have any ideas or experiences? Even if it wasn't you who did it, please share your ideas or something you've seen someone else do!