I had one of those “heart & soul” moments last night. It was brief and simple, yet powerful.
I was running errands and it was later in the evening so it was already dark and cold.
As I came to an intersection, a man was huddled up, approximately in his 30’s, holding a sign that said, “hungry.” A human being making a simple request. Now whether he is a professional pan handler or one who has fallen on rough times, is never my place to judge. He’s still a HUMAN BEING with very real needs. So the argument of giving or not giving money is not my point today. I rarely carry cash with me or I would of given this man some dollars.
What did happen was that I made eye contact with this man. And as I did so and he made eye contact with me, I nodded to him slightly as if I was saying, “I see you.” He nodded back as if he was saying, “I see you.”
It was two maybe three seconds long in timing, yet this simple exchange pierced my heart and soul.
It made me realize how many times in the past, because I didn’t have cash, that I avoided acknowledging this human life for I felt I could not help them in the request that they had. Last night I learned a different lesson – we all want to be SEEN. To be acknowledged that we are here, that we are HUMAN, and that we matter.
In this simple interaction, we acknowledged one another and that was powerful.
How often do I/we not see someone in front of us because they are “different” than ourselves? Or because it’s uncomfortable? Or perhaps it’s become complacent or ordinary? Whether it be the souls within our own homes or strangers on the street, are we SEEING one another? Are we acknowledging that very precious LIFE?
There is reason why it’s been penned, “The eyes are the windows to the SOUL.”
With love & gratitude,
Tiffany
Thank you for sharing this intimate and personal experience. I had a similar experience this week and as I saw this man on the street, looked him in the eyes, I could tell he was sad, cold, and tired. I had $1. Hardly seems like enough for an overwhelming feeling that helped me to know that he was a son of God who had hit hard times. But what I noticed was that the dollar didn’t mean as much as the love that I showed him, and that he then reciprocated with his gratitude and returned eye contact. And what I learned that day, and you more beautifully expressed is that we fail to SEE each other. Strangers. Children of God who just want to be noticed and loved, no dollars needed. And THAT, my dear friend, is the Christmas spirit. Thank you for sharing it with us, today!
Thanks Michelle for sharing your experience as well. You always inspire me!
beautiful my friend. I love those moments when I get to connect with anothers soul and to validate them as human and important.
xo
Lauri