Learning to read the signs

I drove by a gray haired woman holding a sign on the corner. My first thought was, did she really need help or was she taking advantage of kind hearted people? She probably makes more money than I do. The sign read, 'Please help, homeless, need food.” As I drove by, I said, out loud, 'I would never stand on the corner begging for help.”

Later that afternoon, the woman kept entering my thoughts. Did I drive by a person that really needed my help? I would like to think I am a person who gives when I can and helps when asked to. What would it take for someone to stand on a corner begging for help? The only reason I would stand on a corner begging would be if my children needed food or shelter. Was that the woman's story? What makes me better than her? Who am I to judge?

That night I tossed and turned in my bed. A voice was telling me to live in that woman's shoes. What did that mean? The only conclusion I could come up with was to stand on that corner. I was too good for that! I had a home, food, and shelter. Why would I do such a thing when I am so blessed? Then I thought, maybe that is the reason. I take everything I have for granted. What if it was all gone tomorrow? I knew what I had to do.

The next morning, I tried to talk myself out of it, thinking how embarassed I would be if my clientele from my business saw me. Still, I began to paint the sign. The words came easy. I wrote, 'God blessed me with: food, home, clothes. Are you blessed? Have a great day.”

I arrived on the corner at 7 a.m., dressed in my white coat and boots so no one would mistake me for being homeless. I could see my breath in the cold morning air. The remnants from a half-drunk cup of coffee and pretzel wrappers littered the ground. Traffic was slow going. I raised the sign, shaking - not from the cold, but from fear.

Cars came and went without a reaction from anyone. Was my sign not large enough? Were the people so used to seeing someone stand here with a sign they no longer read them or even care? Then a car pulled up next to me and a hand reached out with money. I explained to the gentleman why I was here and asked him to please donate the money to a food bank. I thanksed him for his generosity and he drove away. Minutes passed and traffic was beginning to pick up. Drivers gave me thumbs up of approval, or waved and honked. I now knew people were reading my sign. One woman pulled up and thanked me for making her smile. She made me feel more comfortable about being there.

Throughout the morning, people offered me money, food and even hot coffee. The outpouring of generosity was amazing. People had become so accustomed to people standing on this corner that they would give without reading the signs.

I was not always greeted with kindness. People tossed cans and litter out their car windows at me. Others screamed, 'Get a job!” I wanted to scream back, 'I have a job!” Three hours later, with aching arms and feet, I humbly walked back to my car.

The next time I see a person on the corner holding a sign will I judge them? Will I feel empathy for them? This experience has opened my eyes to world full of kind and generous people. We all could learn to give without reading the signs.

' Gidget DeSotel, of Walker, owns and operates Children Prevail Day Care in Center Point. Comments: childrenprevail@aol.com