Jacket
I was reminded tonight, in a very personal way, how much my family has been blessed and how many more people out there need our help.
On our way home, Carol noticed a homeless person not far away from the restaurant we just came from. It was freezing outside, something like 18 degrees Fahrenheit. I stopped the car and told her I’m going to give them my jacket. I got out of the car and approached her.
“Would you like a jacket?” I said.
“I’d like $5,” pointing to a tattered emergency blanket on the ground. Then she said, “Yes, I’d like a jacket.”
I took off my jacket and handed it to her.
She said thank you a few times.
It was interesting at this point I didn’t feel afraid or nervous that we were in a dark street in a sketchy part of the city.
“You need to put this fleece jacket underneath your overcoat and it will keep your warm.” She mumbled something. Then I said, “What else do you need, ma’am?”
She replied, “$5.” Pointing again to the emergency blanket.
“I’ll be right back.” Then Carol handed me some money which I brought back to her. She kept saying thank you and we drove off.
I could tell she had a mental illness and it broke my heart.
Elena and Roman were in the back seat watching the whole thing. It affected Elena greatly and she saw how one little act, if multiplied, will make a big difference. At bedtime she told me, “Dad, if more people did what you did tonight, we would have less people in need.”
Now this journal entry is not about me. Giving them the jacket was easy. This was about an answer to an earlier prayer i had about how to help others. Heavenly Father is watching over us.
P.S. A small part of this story was that earlier in the day during lunch I bought this jacket at the store and wore it around the office and at the restaurant. I kept thinking how it was the warmest jacket I have ever worn and how much I loved it. When the moment we saw the homeless person tonight I knew this jacket was an answer to someone else’s need.
October 29, 2019