The Mattress Bank

Have you ever noticed that it seems to be the ones who have the least who are the most giving?

 Perhaps because we know what it feels like to be needy!  Empathy is the best teacher.

Yesterday, I had a few dollars left in my wallet and treated my son and I to some take out food .. I bring my lunch to work every day .. but lately that is a raw potato which I microwave at lunchtime and put a little cheese on top .. but we were out on the road after a doctor's visit and my raw potato was still another hour away.  It was a simple quick meal that cost less than $10 for both of us.  I felt indulgent.  .... especially as we walked past an older, possibly homeless, toothless gentleman on a bench who was obviously in a worst economic situation than we were. 

He asked for any change.  I had none going in .. so he said "perhaps on your way back" .. and I said certainly. 
Well, I had the exact amount for our lunch with no change left. ... but it didn't feel right to walk past him with our food and share nothing .. so I pulled out 4 quarters from my laundry money and gave it to him.  I told him that was my laundry money so to spend it wisely .. at which point we smiled at each other.
I have seen this man many times in my life and he always looked so harsh ... but that toothless smile made my day!

Sharing and generosity are ways to uplift your spirit and make you realize and appreciate that there is always someone needier than you.

When we returned to our car my son raised a valid question ... he wondered if we have a little bit of money .. and have a home and a car .. but owe money .. is the man that sits on the bench with no possessions ..but owing nothing better off than us? 
I have often wondered that question myself! Isn't that the principle behind negative and positive integers? 

How does one get to that point of debt and owing that comes with adulthood?  .. and why does it seem to be so cumulative?  My son and I have determined that the mattress bank is probably the best way to go these days! ...but don't bother looking under my mattress ..  the only thing left in the bank are the rest of the laundry quarters .... and they will be gone tomorrow judging from the size of the laundry hamper mountain.

Yesterday my CPM was sharing a few quarters with a needy homeless man.
Tonight my CPM is finding enough odds and ends in the fridge to feed three hungry teenage boys (two of them unexpected) ... and knowing there is still enough bits and bobs to perhaps make a decent breakfast for them (since they are now sleeping over .. again not planned or expected). 
A close friend once told me that she had described me as the kind of person that if I lived in a cardboard box and a friend needed a place to stay .. I would move over and make room for them.  I sure hope so!

I am fortunate that though the purse may only be chinking together laundry change or the fridge may appear frighteningly empty  .. there is still always enough to share with others.
The understanding and realization of the value of sharing and generosity is my CPM lesson for the day. 

Wishing you the opportunity to share when you think you are least able ... and to feel the reward in doing so.
Wishing you a CPM for this weekend.
:) Sun