Well, today I did something that I have never done before. I gave money to a panhandler. I'm not sure why I did it, it just "felt" right. I am someone that believes strongly in hard work and determination. I, for the most part, feel that people are in control of their own destiny and should not depend on others to provide for them. I also know how hard I work for my money and the government already steals such a large portion of it that I am not in any big hurry to just give it away. The problem is that I tend to forget that sometimes life has a way of changing things in our lives that we really have no control over and that everyone needs a helping hand at some point in their life. I mean, who am I to judge the person on the street asking for money? Sure, maybe they are lazy and instead of spending the time they spend on panhandling to find a job, they take the easy way out and mooch off the rest of society. Or, maybe they lost their spouse unexpectedly and were left in financial ruin with no one to help and nowhere to turn. Or maybe they are a veteran that served our country, got injured, and were promptly discharged once they could no longer fight on the battlefield.
I'm not likely to give money to all the panhandlers I come across (Houston has A LOT), but I will have more sympathy and a kinder heart when I see them. And, if the mood strikes me like it did today, they may get a buck or two to spend however they may choose.
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