"Sometimes it be hard to sleep, you know?" he said to her over his plate of chicken spaghetti, green beans, small salad, a roll, and two cookies, the offering that day as a meal to the homeless.
She had asked him how she could pray for him, and his answer started as a simple, "Pray for my family, I worry about them."
She sat in silence, and waited for him to expound on that, knowing there had to be more, because there was always more for these people who so seldom had anyone listening to them with rapt attention.
"At night, I worry about them. I mean, I live on the streets and sleep under the bridge, where the traffic be making noise over your head all the time, and it ain't easy, but they got it hard, too, all of them crammed into one small house and they don't always have enough. It be like a constant worry, pounding in my head when it's hard to sleep, so pray for my family."
Linking up with Six Sentence Stories at Uncharted Blog.
Today is
Call of the Horizon Day -- can't find any history on this one, but if the idea of following your dreams over the Horizon has ever called you, take the time to follow today!
Comic-Con International -- San Diego, CA, US (through Sunday)
Constitution Day -- Australia; Palau
Constitutionalist Revolution Day -- São Paulo, Brazil
Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo -- Vernal, UT, US (one of the top rodeos in the country; through Saturday)
Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Omelet Day
Feast of Our Lady of Chiquinquira (Patron of Colombia; the Venezuelan National Guard)
Hodag Country Festival -- Rhinelander, WI, US (at the Hodag "50" Track, a large open-air country music festival; through Sunday)
Independence Day -- Argentina(1816); South Sudan
Martyrdom of the Bab -- Baha'i
Muffler Appreciation Day -- if you've ever had a loud vehicle, you will understand why someone started this one
National Sugar Cookie Day -- what could be simpler or more versatile? make them plain or make them fancy, but be sure you make enough!
Nunavut Day -- NU, Canada
Offerings to Heru and Amun -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar (day Heru hears prayers in the presense of the Netjers; date approximate)
Oregon Trail Days -- Gering, NE, US (the oldest continuing celebration of the Oregon Trail; through Sunday)
Shiman Rokusen-nichi -- Sensou-ji Temple, Asakusa, Tokyo (Day of 46,000; a visit to the temple on this day through tomorrow credits you the same as visiting 46,000 times on ordinary days)
St. Mary Hermina Grivot's Day (Patron of martyrs)
Turkey Rama -- McMinnville, Oregon (family fun on "Oregon's Favorite Main Street" that includes the "World's Largest Turkey BBQ"; through Sunday)
Worshipful Company of Vintners (Winemakers) of the City of London Annual Procession
Anniversary Today:
Steven Cauble marries Lisa Whelchel, 1988
Birthdays Today
Mitchel Musso, 1991
Kiely Williams, 1986
Fred Savage, 1976
Jack White, 1975
Courtney Love, 1964
Kelly McGillis, 1957
Tom Hanks, 1956
Fred Norris, 1955
Jimmy Smits, 1955
Margaret Gillis, 1953
John Tesh, 1952
Chris Cooper, 1951
Mitch Mitchell, 1947
O.J. Simpson, 1947
Richard Roundtree, 1942
Brian Dennehy, 1938
David Hockney, 1937
Vince Edwards, 1928
Ed Ames, 1927
Mathilde Krim, 1926
Ottorino Respighi, 1879
Elias Howe, 1819
Anne Ward Radcliffe, 1764
Today in History
Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed emperor of the Western Roman Empire, 455
Henry VIII annuls his marriage to Anne of Cleves (his 4th wife), 1540
In Versailles, the National Assembly reconstitutes itself as the National Constituent Assembly and begins preparations for a French constitution, 1789
The Act Against Slavery is passed in Upper Canada and the importation of slaves into Lower Canada is prohibited, 1793
The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified guaranteeing African Americans full citizenship and all persons in the United States due process of law, 1868
In Provident Hospital on Chicago’s South Side, black surgeon Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed the first successful open-heart surgery, 1893
Queen Victoria gives royal assent to an Act creating the Commonwealth of Australia thus uniting separate colonies on the continent under one federal government, 1900
Johnny Weissmuller swims the 100 meters freestyle in 58.6 seconds breaking the world swimming record and the 'minute barrier', 1922
The Russell-Einstein Manifesto is released by Bertrand Russell in London, 1955
In a seminal moment for pop art, Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans exhibition opens at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, 1962
Margaret Thatcher begins her second term as British prime minster, 1982
South Africa is readmitted into the Olympic movement after 30 years of exclusion, 1991
The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2002
South Sudan gains independence and secedes from Sudan, 2011
My prayers go out as well.... this situation is sad but all too common. Thanks for linking in to SSS!
ReplyDeleteAs an agnostic, prayer is nice, but actions like your feeding him speak much louder than soft words of prayer. So sad these folks that fell down a deep, dark hole and can no longer see the light of day.
ReplyDeleteHomeless people have stories, just like you and I. They need someone to listen, just like you and I.
ReplyDeleteextremely touching.
ReplyDeleteI worry about the poor people that have to live on the street when there are so many rich people, especially the sport and movie people waste their money on nothing. Our world is messed up.
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful Thursday Messymimi. See ya.
Cruisin Paul
What a sad and heart warming story. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteThere are more and more homeless too. Some because they want to be and many others because they have lost their way. Prayer is powerful. You feeding some when you can is priceless. The food is great, but your listening was the best part.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
Few things are more moving than someone with nothing asking help for others.
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful thing that there are people who help those who can't help themselves. It's a win win situation when both are uplifted by the help.
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful thing that there are people who help those who can't help themselves. It's a win win situation when both are uplifted by the help.
ReplyDeletethis sadly is true for many people, some make the choice, some have no choice. Great writing!
ReplyDeleteSad story. And sometimes prayers help the most hopeless, at least it helps the pray(er) feel less helpless.
ReplyDeleteGreat story--heart-wrenching.
ReplyDeleteWe stereotype the homeless drifters in our society as wastrels, uncaring beggars when that is far from the truth. Your story illustrates that so well. Sometimes it is not easy to fit in with family or society in general but that doesn't mean you don't care. Yes this was a great story.
ReplyDeleteWonderful story--helps me remember to do better at recognizing those who need to be noticed.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful story. To give of your means is important, but being willing to take the time to listen to those who have a need share their concerns is just as important. For some, giving of time is the hardest to do.
ReplyDelete