It’s Up To You · Society of Ordinary Gentlemen

🔥

It’s Up To You

Good morning Gentlemen and Ladies,

We all made it to a new year, a new year that is filled with uncertainties, blessings, and yes even some unexpected surprises. No one is immune to unforeseen circumstances. But how we handle these things is what makes the difference. Yesterday I posted that me and my family started off the New Years feeding the homeless and the less fortunate. I posted this not for accolade, or praises, I post this to remind us all that at any given time we could be in the same situation and if this happened I would hope you would expect someone to do the same and show compassion as we did.

One of the greatest attributes of a gentleman or a lady, is to show love and compassion for your fellow man. Now, having said that anyone can make a donation and give money. And there is nothing wrong with this. But when you take the time and physically participate in making a difference in the life of another person, there is no other feeling like it. Because not only are you making a difference in that person lives monetarily but you are taking a physical and personal action with that person. Yesterday I was reminded of when me and my grandson were in the car and there was a man at the corner holding a sign and my grandson look at him as we sat at he light and I happen to notice him starring at the man, and I said to my grandson “ it’s not polite to stare”. My grandson said I didn’t mean to stare, I was just wandering is anyone going to help him?” That struck me deep inside and I immediately pulled over and I got out and invited the man to have breakfast with us. The man was thrown back at first, but he was hungry and he accepted the offer. We went to the to the IHOP down the street and the three of us sat and ate and we learned that he was a US Army veteran the same as I. I also found out that he served in the same conflict as I did and just fell on hard times, and rather than resort to on life of crime or to hide his sorrows in drugs and alcohol he stood out there hoping someone would help him.

As we ate I listened and allowed my grandson to engage in conversation and one thing I always told him is to never judge or ask a person how they ended in that situation and never ask a veteran what combat was like. If they want to tell you that is fine. In the end we ended up finding where his family lived, and allowed him use my phone to make a phone call to a family member and we arranged for him to get a bus ticket and took him to the bus station and help him get home.

My point is this, that one incident changed me, and ever since I have always had a passion for helping people in need because I could have been that same veteran on that corner. Sometimes I feel it should have been me because of that poor choices I made and the times when I turned a blind eye to someone in need when i knew it was up to me to make a change. Michael Jackson’s song was playing that same day in the car when we were at the intersection that changed our lives. “THE MAN IN THE MIRROR”.

3 comments