How I've Been Enriched by Beggars
In every man there is a king. Speak
jordan 11 to the king, and the king will come forth.
Outside our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a seemingly
rotational mould ancient woman on crutches waited beside the door with her hand outstretched. Every day I put my
shox nike hand in hers as our eyes met. She never failed to return my smile, my grasp, and my sin chau greeting.
On the last day of our visit, I found myself alone on a
chaussures shox busy corner across the street from our hotel. Bicycles and motorbikes careened in front of me. We had been
chaussures air advised to walk straight through the teeming traffic without looking right or left. Let them avoid us.
But tonight I was by myself and felt inadequate
air max 90 to face the torrent of vehicles. As I hesitated on the curb, I felt a hand on my elbow and
chaussures nike looked down to see the smile of my small beggar friend looking up at me. She nodded her head toward the street, indicating
coach outlet that she would take me across. Together, we moved slowly into the chaos as she gently prodded me forward.
When we reached the center of the crossing, I looked
baseball jerseys down at her again, and couldn't resist exclaiming, "You have the most beautiful smile."
She obviously knew little English, but must
air max 90 have recognized the tone, for she threw both arms and crutches around me in a big hug
hermes birkin while the traffic streamed by us on both sides.
Then we precarious moved on toward the sidewalk, where she
flow meter pulled my face down to hers, kissed me on both cheeks, and then limped away, still smiling and waving back to me.I had not
jordan 8 given her a single coin. We had shared something vastly more important - a warming of hearts in friendship.
This experience remained me of something
air jordan 6 Mother Teresa once said: "If you cannot do great things, you can do small things with great love."
On the last day of our visit, I found myself alone on a busy corner
jordan 9 across the street from our hotel. Bicycles and motorbikes careened in front of me. We had been advised to
air jordan 7 walk straight through the teeming traffic without looking right or left. Let them avoid us.
But tonight I was by myself and felt inadequate
jordan 13 to face the torrent of vehicles. As I hesitated on the curb, I felt a hand on my elbow and looked down to see the smile of my small beggar friend looking up at me. She nodded
air jordan 4 her head toward the street, indicating that she would take me across. Together, we moved slowly into the chaos as she gently prodded me forward.
To look beggars in the eye and smile, thus acknowledging
jordan 14 their existence, is a small thing. Putting your hand into another's outstretched hand
air jordan 12 and grasping it firmly for a moment is also a small thing. Learning to use a greeting in the local language is not too difficult. But these are important.
For many reasons, giving money is not the best response to an outstretched hand. Many world
jordans 6 travelers have discovered that the greatest gift they can give is their time and friendship. Everyone needs recognition, to be seen as worthy of attention, to feel appreciated and loved.