Everyone has a Story

Another week down. Six weeks to go.  

Last week in Psych we had a guest speaker who works with clients who are struggling with drugs and alcohol. One person raised their hand and asked this question:

"How do you relate to someone if you have not been through the same experiences as they have?" 

Our guest speakers thought for a moment and then one of them answered our question. 

She said it so elegantly and I'm not sure if it will sound the same coming from my mouth, but I'll try! She said that as humans, we have all gone through hard experiences and challenges in life. Because of this we can all relate to each other on that level. We can listen to others hard experiences and be there for them because at one point in life we were experiencing a hard time too. As humans, we naturally know how to listen and have compassion for others. 

On pinterest tonight I found this quote: 

"When you look at a person, any person, remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed them." 

There is a homeless man that often times sits by the costco parking lot and I see him quite a bit on Sunday's when I drive to church. He has a a dog who I assume is his best friend. 

One day when I was driving to church I saw him with his puppy. He had an umbrella and it was over his dog. The rain came down and Gilbert kept driving. 

I couldn't stop thinking of him after that. 

Then one day a few weeks later I saw him again, same spot. Paige and I were getting gas. We were stopped at a red light, waiting to leave costco and I remembered I had a mountainbrook care bag in my trunk. Without thinking twice I jumped in the back seat, grabbed the bag, and jumped out of the car, barefoot. I ran over to my friend and gave him the bag. He was so appreciative. 

And I continued to think about him the rest of the day. 

Couple weeks later, I hadn't seen my friend in a while and I was driving home from church with Paige. Who happened to be on the corner that day? Paige had a care bag in her car. Into the parking lot we went and back to my friend to give him the goodies we went. 

I don't even know his name. 

I know God has put this man on my heart this year, I wouldn't think about him so much if He hadn't. One day before graduation I would love to go and sit with him and hear his story. We all have a story and I think sometimes we forget that. This man, my friend, he was a child at one point in life. 

Where is he from? Where did he grow up? How many siblings does he have? 

I really just want to give my friend a hug and tell him he's so loved. I want him to have a bed to sleep in. I want him to know that Jesus loves him so much. I want him to know that he is SOMEBODY. How many times do people like him get ignored on a daily basis? How many times? I'll admit I have done it too. We don't make eye contact because we feel bad, guilty, shy, scared, all of the above. 

I'm not writing this to make anyone feel guilty. I mean it's hard. There are so many people out there who do not have homes and it's hard to help them all. But I think what I have been realizing is I need to make more of a conscious effort to not look away, to not stare, to give them food, to give them a smile, to buy them a donut, or to maybe even ask them what their name is and just tell them I am praying for them. 

Because I think God wants us to buy them Easter candy and I think God wants us to love them and I think God wants us to pray for them. Because they have a story.

 A story just like us. 

And at the end of the day, even though we have not been through their same experiences, we have still been through hard times and we can still relate on that level. 

Pray for them. Love them. Care for them. Smile at them. We're all people and all want to be loved. 

xoxo, 

McWhitters <3