This Email Could Change Everything

I didn’t expect I would meet Greg on Tuesday night in the heart of San Diego.  When I approached him, he was in a sleeping bag and I couldn’t see his face. I asked, “Hi, Are you hungry?” He popped his blond head out and said, “Hi! Yes”.  I was with six friends and at that moment Sara and I stood above him. He was good looking and then I heard his accent. “Are you from the East Coast?”, I asked. “Boston?” He was like, “Yeah”, and so was my friend Sara so the banter began, “What town?” “No way”. “Past Springfield”, all of us ignoring the fact he was lying on a sidewalk on the edge of a parking lot.

This wasn’t my first encounter with a homeless person. In Hawaii the homeless are everywhere and I do my best to avoid them. They look like ghosts walking around the city. Tents on sidewalks, by the beach, and on one corner I cross the street to avoid the smell of urine, loud screaming and repeat requests.  Writing it sounds horrible, I wasn’t raised to ignore those in need.

But last night Greg was not the homeless, he was Greg, a person who in 2000 left Boston in his car and now was lying on a sidewalk sleeping.

I met Greg, Eddie, Jo and Fran. I met PEOPLE not the HOMELESS last night and yes some of them were not like Greg. You could tell there was something more going on and mentally not in the best state.

I was with a group of 58 people. We handed out food to 287 people. All the food was donated, and we asked you, our family and friends, for donations to feed a soul, and raised $17,443 dollars in 18 hours for the San Diego Rescue Mission.  Thank you all!

Last night changed my life. I can make a difference. It doesn’t take much.  A hello, a smile, are you hungry?  I saw it first-hand. I’m going back to Honolulu and on my lunch hour once a week I am going to connect with the next Greg, Eddie, or Jo around our building. (Security might not like that, oh well).  I will find out their name and offer them a lunch from Jack in the Box and yes, I will be careful.

We could easily tip this in another direction. You can make a difference.  Where do you see a need? Where can you make a difference today? What small connection could change the course of someone’s life? Or your own?

Together we connect,

Louisa

P.S.  I love to connect!  Leave your reply here!