Humbled

I had two things that happened to me on the way home that humbled me. Each year I'm humbled by the change in season. No I'm not delusional. Yeah it's damn cold now but I can always tell when Mother Nature will soon be changing season. For me the upcoming season change is signaled by my train ride. Yes my train ride. I work in Manhattan and my train is underground when I reach the borough I live in we go above ground. Well when the train exits the tunnel and I still see light and the beautiful rays of the sun splashed across the sky I know season change is coming. Yesterday I saw it briefly. A splash of purple, gold and blue in the sky as I came out of the tunnel on my train. The beauty humbled me and I took a breath, leaned back and smiled. Mother Nature in all her glory. When I got off the train it was freezing but I didn't feel it that little splash of sunset warmed me. Season change is coming.

After leaving the train I walked to the fried chicken place (haven't had any in a long, long time, been eating healthy) to get some food. When I walked in I saw these two guys. One was ordering and the other standing there. When the first man was done I asked the other man if he was going to order. He said no and stepped back. I placed my order and waited. The first man got his and left. The second man went behind him. Suddenly the door opened and they came back the first man placed an order again, paid for it and told the server to give it to the second man. I realized after the first man left that the other man was hungry and possibly homeless. I talked to the second man and found out he was homeless and hungry. As we talked further he mentioned the food was for him and his seven year old sister who were in a shelter. He said it hurt his pride to ask for anything. He had just recently gotten a job and wasn't getting paid until next week. Since there was no drink with his order I offered to purchase him one and another order of food so he and his sister could have their own. He politely turned me down. He then said something that humbled me. He basically thanked me for offering and not looking down on him. I was confused by what he meant and it must have shown on my face. He explained that when people knew he was homeless they looked at him different. Now I will freely admit I've seen homeless people and gotten that immediate look but then I think that they are in need and give them money or food. This time for some reason I guess I didn't. So I brushed off his thanks and offered again. He refused. As I left we said goodnight. I said a quick prayer that he and his sister would be okay. That brief encounter humbled me.

So I sit here humbled by two very different things.