While driving through town, I’ve noticed quite a few beggars standing at various corners and robots.
Now, I don’t always know what to do in these kinds of situations.
I don’t think I’m alone when I say they make me feel quite uncomfortable.
I never know where to look.
I sometimes stare unblinking at the robot, willing it to change green with the power of my mind.
This rarely works.
Other times, I pretend to be overly interested in my fingernails, as if it’s my sole purpose to figure out what they’re made of.
But, I can never help looking at their faces out of the corner of my eye, wondering how they landed up in this position in life.
It’s extremely easy to judge others, me perhaps being one of the most guilty in such cases.
You think to yourself, “Go look for work you lazy person,” or “You just stand there and expect everything to be handed to you on a silver platter while the rest of us have to work our backsides off to earn a living.”
Who said it’s as simple as that?
You don’t know this person’s circumstances, there might be something prohibiting them from finding work.
I know it’s not like this in all cases, some are just taking a fat chance to get easy money to buy their daily fix.
But some actually do not have a choice and all their other options have been exhausted.
How else are they going to get bread on the table and feed their families?
So here’s the thing, do you ever give to them?
I don’t, but that’s because I’m a self-confessed stingy person, and I never know who really needs it and who is going to buy funny stuff with it.
The exception to my stinginess are those talented young boys, standing at robots and flipping a stick in the air like it’s nobody’s business.
I mean, I couldn’t do that in my wildest dreams, and what justifies it for me, is that they aren’t simply standing there, staring at you, until you give them something.
They’re actually doing something and entertaining people in the process, practising over and over again.
My point is, what has happened in these people’s lives to result in them begging on the streets?
Was it due to circumstances beyond their control, or an addiction they battle with?
Don’t always be so quick to judge when you don’t know.
