Well, it turns out that my parents aren't visiting for Spring break. Due to the higher than normal amounts of spring break travelers, they weren't able to get seats on any flights. So, I'm sad that they aren't here. But, my apartment is clean and I have no reason to not get my 20 page paper turned out.

Of greater concern, Josh and I were on our way to IHOP this morning and on our way there we saw a homeless lady standing on the median of 29N holding a sign asking for help. We were really struck by how she didn't look at anyone, but just stood with her head down. It was very poignant and completely outweighed the fact that IHOP no longer has fruit pocket pancakes. It actually made breakfast fairly morose. Josh was distraught by the kind of "just" world we live in. Here we are, twentysomethings driving our SUV and eating breakfast out. Here she is, probably 35-40, standing in the middle of a highway hoping that some one would have compassion on her. Well, we decided that on our way home, we would go back and give her money. Josh struggled with the idea that us giving her money might humiliate her more, since we are so young and inexperienced compared to her tough life. I felt that us not giving her money would be humiliating, since we are the hands and feet of Christ. I often struggle when I see the "invisibles". There's a man who hangs out in the corner district in C-ville. He's missing a leg, and he stands there on a crutch, desperately asking passerbys to help him out. Everyone just walks by and pretends he isn't there. To me, that is far more humilating than having people give money. At least by giving you money, they are acknowledging the fact that you are a human being, just like they, and that there is still connectedness and compassion in this alienated world. So, we drove through the mac, and went back to 29N and gave her some money.

I still can't get the image of her standing on the median with her eyes humbly cast downward, while yuppies sat at a stoplight so close that they could reach out and touch her. They kept their eyes forward, in the comfort of their BMW's as she look despairingly down. Somehow giving her a bit of money doesn't seem nearly adequate.

It made me realize how blessed I am and how much I have to be thankful for. It also reminded me that, to whom much is given much is required. I guess I still don't know what that means. Somehow, in comparison to my blessings, giving her money didn't seem like enough.