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This is not a crossdressing story but it is a story that involved a crossdresser – me. I decided to share it after reading Cynthia’s story about ‘One Moment in Time’ and thinking about the impact we can have on someone else’s life. I think we can do that every day here in CDH.
One thing that really struck me while we were in Vancouver a couple of months ago (was it really that long ago?) was the number of homeless people. Having been with our daughter in Ottawa, where the city at least seems to ensure that people have the chance of a warm meal and a roof over their heads, It was hard to understand why the much richer city of Vancouver (now one of the most expensive places in the world to live) can’t find a way of helping more of its unfortunate citizens. What I did discover unfortunately was that some of the more destitute have become quite aggressive, which surely doesn’t help their situation. I even saw one woman abuse a passer-by because she wasn’t given the cost of a muffin. It was all quite sad.
As difficult as it is though it’s a sad fact that no-one can help everyone in that situation even if inclined to do so, so it is necessary on most occasions to just pass them by on the streets. A very special person has shown me though, that not always being able to help doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t acknowledge them as human beings, nor should I avoid making simple eye contact and say hello. What they deserve is basic decency, no matter what their circumstances.
Because the growing collection of small change I’d accumulated was going to be of no use to me back home in Australia I had already decided that just before I left Vancouver I would simply give it to someone on the street and hope that it would be of some use. Thus, on our last day there I had all my change in my pocket, with the intention of finding someone to give it to, but as the day wore on, and I began to feel the effects of the cold I had been fighting off, I found myself almost back at our hotel, having pretty much abandoned the idea. That was until I saw a sign. It was a small, hand-written sign sitting propped against the legs of a dishevelled young man. There were a few lines of text but in my state of fatigue and growing unwellness it took me a little while to read and absorb them as my body mechanically continued walking.
It took me about ten increasingly difficult paces before what I’d read sank in:
“Visa pending so I am not allowed to work. I am living in shelters. This is really difficult.”
With underneath that:
“Irish”
“Educated”
“Sober”
“Ignored”
It was that last word that really hit me as I realised that I was doing just that. I had passed him by with hardly a glance of acknowledgement and by doing so I had condemned myself. No-one deserves to be ignored.
That was when I had to stop and go back. I reached into my pocket and dragged out the handful of change; mostly quarters and five-cent pieces but also with a healthy number of ‘loonies’ and ‘two-nies’ (one and two-dollar coins). When I reached the young man I bent down and placed the coins in his tin.
“From someone who hasn’t ignored you. Good luck matey.”
As I began to walk off, admittedly with a huge lump in my throat and tears struggling to flow forth, I saw him suddenly break into a big smile as he thanked me and, in a noticeable Irish accent, blessed me. For a brief moment I had lifted his despair and shown him that people can care.
I hope his visa comes through soon and that he will go on to be able to support himself without relying on charity, but for now I mostly hope that I helped him to finish that day better than he started it. He certainly did that for me.
JaneS,
Reading this made me cry! But in a good way! THat was a perfect illustration of a Christian attitude(whether you thought of it as that or not). Even the least of these is precious in His sight. A real life example of the story from the Bible where Jesus said, a ye do to the least of these you do to Me! I would be willing to bet that soul remembers you for a LONG time-perhaps forever!
Though divorced now, my ex once told me that she knew she was going to ask me out and marry her because of one incident. She had a two year old son and was a single mom working double shifts, She was a waitress and I was one of the managers. She had bought her son Christmas gifts on layaway but as Christmas drew near (about 4 days away)Kmart told her that her layaway items had been lost. Heartbroken, she was at work that night standing near the dishwasher area and looking very sad. I apparently asked her why se looked so sad and she told me what had happened. She told me I rubbed her shoulder briefly and told her everything would be alright(which I am happy to say it DID!0 ..My point is I didn’t DO anything except show some sympathy for her plight and give her encouragement that things would improve. I honestly didn’t even remember this at all.. Then three months late, she came to the office and asked how my girlfriend had treated me for Valentine;’s Day, When I said I didn’t have a girlfriend,she said she thought to herself “Well you do NOW!”. Three days later SHE asked ME out, and six months later we were married! Though it did not last the lifetime I had hoped it would, I don’t regret it at all and it was a simple human gesture that led to a marriage that produced two wonderful children whom I treasure!
It only took 15 seconds!
Cyn
Recently I was asked to participate in a challenge called “I could have been homeless but…” and this experience came to mind. I though of how that young man migrated to Canada looking for a better life but found himself living on the street because of a bureaucratic process he had no control over.
It also made me realise that without the loving acceptance of my family and friends, I too could have been living on the street.
It was a humbling realisation.
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