A little kindness
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Was in a parking lot the other day, running errands here and there and was walking to my car. An old man, thin and scabby, short gray hair, pedaled through the parked cars on an ancient bicycle. A small white bag tied to the handle bars with nothing much in it swung weakly as he weaved his bike and then seemed to suddenly see me as I opened my car door. He aimed his bike a few spaces from my car and then hesitantly turned the front wheel toward me. In a quiet voice I heard him say "excuse me, but could you possibly spare a few dollars." He motioned to his stomach and said he was hungry. I was half way into my car when these words interrupted my reverie. I had already seen him and as we all do, I took his measure in an instant. Thin, poor, not looking like he was suffering from the ravages of excessive drink. I'm an expert in what that looks like, both parents having been lifelong alcoholics before their addiction to alcohol took both of them a number of years back. He looked like my dad in a way. I wasn't frightened or on guard. Despite his look I didn't feel any dislike toward him. He had asked me if I could spare a few dollars. I thought to myself that as a matter of fact I could spare a few dollars and I reached into my pocket. I reached over, handing him a number of bills. He looked at the money in his hand and seemed to be shocked. "That's very generous," he said in a soft grateful voice, the money disappearing in his pocket quickly. I looked at him and said, "You're welcomed, please take care."

I drove away thinking about the encounter. Analyzing myself, wondering if that was compassion on my part. I don't think I acted out of pity, or out of fear or out of any sense of reward-good karma for myself. To my mind, any self congratulatory feeling about doing some good deed lessens the deed. You do good, you show compassion as you breath, naturally and without thought. You are not rewarded for breathing, nor is it any special act. Funny how things work out. I was not done running my errands and drove directly to a Wal-Mart. I parked and was walking toward the entrance when I saw another old man. This one in a motorized wheelchair with a basket on the front of it. He had two big boxes there and was trailed by a frail looking Wal-Mart employee. The man saw me and as I was passing him I heard him ask me if I could help him. I stopped and smiled. "Certainly I can help sir," I said. "What is it that you need?"
I looked over at the boxes and had some idea that he wanted me to load his boxes in his car. A nice big new car. He worked the little electronic door opener and I heard the click of the doors being unlocked. He smiled as I opened up the back door and examined if the two boxes would fit inside. I looked at the boxes and they had pictures of a cot. Two heavy green cots. I picked one up and began placing it his back seat. The man told me that his grandchildren were coming down to visit him. He hadn't seen them in five years and sounded happy and proud. "They all need to have some place to sleep." He said. I smiled and said that was wonderful and that he must be very excited to see his family after so long. I loaded the second boxed cot in the back of the car and closed the door. "There you go sir. Good luck to you and drive carefully on the way home." He smiled and patted my arm and thanked me. The Wal Mart cashier patted me on the other shoulder and she thanked me as well saying that she didn't know how she was going to lift those boxes without my help. I smiled again and said I was glad to help and it was no problem at all.

Going into the store I thought about how funny things are sometimes. I tugged on my yin yang earring as I always do and continued my quest for a slightly bigger pot for my growing draco plant. The reason for my wanderings on that day.