I was driving down the road a few nights ago as it was getting dark, the sun was almost down and it was very cold, I noticed a man walking and he was all wrapped in blankets trying to keep warm as he hurried down the street, I took a second look at this man and realized that he was probably my age, and I immediately began to weep, I felt this man’s struggles in my soul…for a brief moment…a fraction of a second…a felt the pain of being cold, the worry of not having enough and the feeling of being alone and scared and not having anyone to turn to for help…I was aware in that instant of his desperation to survive. I can’t get this guys story out of my head, it’s uncomfortable and it makes me feel helpless to be truly conscious of the fact that there are so many people suffering that don’t have the bare essentials to keep them safe out there.
I’m not sure why I’m telling this story or why it touched me so profoundly. I think I needed to get it out and release it, and I really realized that this could happen to anyone of us…this man could have been me or you…I’m sure this wasn’t his plan or his dream, but something happened…something went terribly wrong and here he was, cold and desperate. My heart hurts for him and it’s not enough for me to say how much I have to be thankful for or how grateful I am for everything I have…that’s not enough! One thing that keeps going through my head is “Grace“, God’s Grace on my life…I can’t explain how I’m sitting here now, how I’m alive, how I’m surrounded by people who love me, and how I’m warm on a cold winter night. As I sit here crying in confusion the only word or explanation that comes to my head is “Grace”. I hurt for all the people really struggling in life, I wish I could magically end suffering, and I feel guilty.
I have seen a lot of desperation and hurting in my time, but for some odd reason, the moment I connected with this man just literally took my breath away and tears just came and I could feel all his hurt and suffering…it was a profound moment that really shook me…maybe he was an angel…
Sometimes certain things talk to us and they speak a language we can understand in that moment. I believe signs and moments come in different shapes, colors and forms, but I believe they all come at the moments we can truly hear. This certainly made me aware that we’re all walking on the edge and I understand that the only thing I know for sure is I’ve been continually walking in complete and utter Grace.
