A Helping Hand

I'm one to always help people. I honestly believe that helping people is my reason for living. I don't do it for recognition or in hopes to get something in return. I do it because I love knowing that when I walk away, the person I helped leaves with something, whether it be a physical item, words of kindness, or just a smile on their face.

So today I went on my couponing escapade, and I saw an older man had set up a little yard sale on a blanket beside the Dollar General I was going into. I went in and bought my items and left. I went to a few other stores, but returned to the store where the man had set up. He had been sitting there all day and he didn't look as though he had sold a thing. I pulled up and parked near where he had been set up. I noticed he was packing up his things into a small shopping cart. I smiled and walked over to him and said "Man, it looks like I've missed your yard sale." He nodded and politely responded  "yes ma'am you have." I smiled at him and said, "Well, I'd still like to give you this."

The man looked down at my hand and smiled and said "thank you so much." I told him he was very welcome and walked into the store. As I can out, the old man was still packing up his things. He smiled a big smile and said, "Have a great night ma'am." I smiled back and waved at him and told him to do the same.

I sat in my car for a minute and watched as the man put the last of his things into his cart and walked away. I felt tears fill my eyes. I knew he hadn't sold much of anything because the things he had most people wouldn't buy. I knew he probably felt discouraged and unwanted as people walked by giving him dirty looks for selling what was probably the only things he had to his name. But I also knew, that I had made his day, just by helping him in the way that he needed. He seemed to walk away with a little more bounce in his step than when I had first arrived. I couldn't give him much, but he seemed ever so grateful for what I had given.

Why do I help people? Because I get to see someone, who most people don't know exists, smile. I get to see their attitude brighten. Be nice to people. You never know what battles they are fighting. One smile could change their whole outlook on life, or possibly even save it.