Extend Compassion

I went to the grocery store today and in the parking lot was approached by a woman who said she was homeless. She asked if she could talk to me about her story and if I had any spare money to help her rent a room for the night. As I listened to her story, I felt such love and empathy for her. I felt at times like I was going to just cry and wanted to just hug her so badly.

If I’m being honest, I’m not sure all of what she said was entirely true. What I felt was true was this poor woman was struggling and hurting, and my heart opened. She was also wearing a shirt with a heart on it. I’m wearing shorts right now with hearts on them as I’m writing this. I feel like my heart wants to say we are all fighting battles. Even if she could have possibly been asking for money because of a drug addiction (which I suspected by her kind of doing a 180 and turning away when I said I couldn’t give her money). Even so, there are reasons behind everything. Addiction is a very hard road too. People don’t become addicts for no reason. People tend to judge addicts so harshly too, but they are also people who have stories. My heart aches for them. My heart aches for people who judge people so harshly too. Extend compassion, empathy, and love.

I told the woman I wasn’t able to help financially, but that I was sending her love. She said that she prayed every night too. That encounter also made me reflect on my own life and have more gratitude for what I *do* have. That I have so much more than I even realize and so much to be grateful for.