Be Kind to One Another

This past weekend opened up my eyes to a community of hardship. There was a woman who looked like she had not eaten for days, a couple of her teeth missing, and bruises all over. The 1st thought that came into my mind was ignore her she’s probably on something; but as she approached me she asked if I could get her a cup of ice. We chatted briefly and she was coherent but visibly exhausted from the hot Chicago summer day. She didn’t need to tell me but the signs were all there that she has been domestically abused. Across the street was Jimmy Johns and I knew that they had giant subs with quality ingredients for a fast food restaurant. We went in got her ice, sub, and chips. The saddest part was watching her try to feel human as she ordered her food and the people that blatantly stared her way.

I’ve been guilty of walking past a person who was homeless and not acknowledging their presence possibly because of an odd experience previously or maybe I was being judgmental. Regardless the reason, these people are human and deserve kindness. We need to be more open to helping people in our community. I’m not telling you to go up to someone that seems out of their mind on drugs but find ways to help. It could be contacting the local police, fire department, or a domestic abuse facility letting them know the location of this person. We all have our low days so let’s be kind to one another.