Message of the Day - Thank You for Allowing Me to Give

Good Morning,

 

Yesterday, on my way home from work, I got off the highway at my normal exit and came to a stop behind a short line of cars waiting for the light to change.  Sometimes at this stop is someone with a sign asking for money or food.  The sad part of it is that with this tough economy, we often do not see the impact it has on others, while we look at our own checkbook and bank accounts.

 

Anyway, I had some dollars in my dashboard ashtray which I planned on using to get coffee at my favorite coffee place the following morning.

 

I am not sure if it was the man himself, or the sign he was holding, but I went for the money to give.

 

His sign said ‘My son loves to cook’. I normally see signs with ‘Veteran’, ‘homeless’, ‘out of work’, and the like.

 

I rolled down my window and stuck my hand out with the two dollars to get his attention.

 

He came up to me and took the money and thanked me.

 

I looked back at him and told him ‘Thank You’.

 

That stopped him and get a weird look on his face and smiled as he said to me ‘you’re welcome’.

 

It must have been odd for him for someone giving him a hand out to say thank you, but being able to give is a gift unto itself.

 

It is said that giving is better than receiving.  We give and often like to see the joy in the face of the receiver. We give knowing that we will hear back how our gift has helped. Sometimes, though, it is better to give when there is no feedback. Sometimes it is better to just give, your time, your money, your efforts, and leave it at that. Basically to fire and forget.

 

I am not sure how much those two dollars will help this man and his family, but I know that it warms my heart to be able to help others, even if it is scrounging in an ashtray for some spare change.

 

It is a pleasure to give!

 

Last night, I did not get to send out this message.

 

This morning, as I drove to work, I pulled the parking pass out of my dashboard ashtray to enter the parking garage and noticed some money underneath that I had not seen last night. Turns out it was $2, and enough change to have my cup of coffee too.

 

Enjoy!

 

Sanford Berenberg

Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
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