10/29/2025
I had the honor of getting to know a man recently — just your average man, like any of us. He spent years living on the streets, begging for food, sleeping in the trash, addicted to drugs & alcohol; just as you would expect. Written off by people passing by, because “he obviously brought this upon himself.” He did things that should have killed him, time and time again — but they didn’t.
Through many challenges including setbacks, incarcerations, and personal defeats his perseverance and support from others helped him build a meaningful, successful life. He now has a family, job, and a home to call his own. The man he once was is now a story — a story of failures, defeat, surrender, and hope.
The truth is, the person we see on the corner or at the red light — the one we try not to notice — could be one of us, could be our brother, our mother, our child. Sometimes the line between “us” and “them” is smaller than we realize. His journey is a reminder that redemption is possible, every life has value, and even the smallest acts of kindness can make a real difference.
Sometimes, the greatest act of kindness is simply choosing to see someone — to acknowledge, in that moment, that they are human and deserving.
