\ Iman’s Constant Cravings… » Random acts of kindness…

Random acts of kindness…

Under: Random Thoughts, Uncategorized @ 8:47 pm on Monday, 11.27.06

I try to place myself in the shoes of those people that I like to call bums scattered all over downtown with signs begging for money, but I really can’t. I believe every person out there, no matter how challenged his/her life may be is capable of earning a living by working, even if it means sweeping the streets. It really infurirates me seeing beggers all over the streets. what has brought them to such stage? are they neglected by society? I don’t know. I try to help them by offering food, but they almost always refuse; and instead insist on wanting money…which makes me believe that - contrary to what the sign they’re holding up says - they’re not hungry for food, they’re hungry to support their dirty habit of either drugs or alcohol or a combination of both.

Today my experience with one of ‘those bums’ was a bit different; it served as a reminder for me to remind others that they, too, are capable of making someone ‘happy’ today!

3 Comments »

Summer

11.27.06 @ 9:15 pm

i agree about those bums wanting only money to support their “habits” that is why i refuse to give them any..as heartless as i may be, but i won’t do it!

Beti

11.27.06 @ 11:22 pm

I usually offer to give them food, a sandwich or something. Or on colder days if I spot them, I’ll bring them some coffee or cocoa. There are other ways to help people out besides giving them money…
It is true that many beggars are doing it to support habits… some are just lazy… There is another group though and I have met quite a few homeless people who beg for this reason. These are the people who had so much bad luck hit them at once, that they’ve pretty much lost their minds…

Rihab

11.28.06 @ 11:35 am

Hmmm.. I think it depends on where those homeless people exist, if it’s in a country with a decent welfare system then perhaps it may be the case… but in other countries with a crap or virtually non-existent welfare system, I doubt that it is.

As for, feeding their nasty habits, well, I think whatever problems they faced in their lives may have pushed them towards those nasty habits and they just got addicted. At the end of the day, people who drink excessively or use drugs, do so in order to not deal with or think about their problems and if someone chose (assuming it was a choice) to live on the streets then the life they were living prior to that must have been quite bad, or at least they judged it to be so.

I think it’s easier to assume that they are lazy bums and I’m sure that it’s probably the case with some, but I would like to think that for the most part there’s usually a reason as to why a beggar becomes a beggar.

(Yeah, I’m in a Socialist mood today).

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