Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover

After the theatre let out and we were walking back toward the parking lot, we almost passed by a woman sitting on the sidewalk with an alms cup and a sign that read, “DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER – EVERBODY NEEDS A LITTLE HELP SOMETIMES”

I said we ALMOST passed by because I stopped and gave her some money. It wasn’t just another sign that read “HUNGRY, HOMELESS, PLEASE HELP, GOD BLESS. That’s what they almost always say on every corner. Or they say nothing and just sit there with a cup.

What made me stop?

I was not once concerned that she might be scamming. I never considered that she might use the money to get high. I didn’t care if she really needed the help or not. I didn’t think “get a job like the rest of us”.

What hit me was that she was right on so many levels.

Who are we to judge? When someone needs help, isn’t it our communal or personal responsibility to help? There are so many reasons why someone is unable to work like most of us. So many reasons why they need our help. Maybe it’s only for a short time until they resolve whatever it is that’s got them handcuffed into this way of life.

And a way of life could be different for all of us. We don’t necessarily find ourselves on street corners with a cup in our hands and a sign around our necks. Needing a helping hand could also be an ear to hear, a shoulder to lean on, a smile to dry a tear.

Who are we to judge? In this life we have all needed a little help. If you have ever been a child you have needed a band aid for a scrape. Let’s not forget that each of us is or was someone’s child once and we needed mommy or daddy at some point to run to for help.

Let’s please try to be someone’s mommy or daddy just for an instance and give someone who needs it something which they might need, a little help.

Let’s not judge a book by its cover.

I hope that the woman on the street was able to buy something to eat, a place to sleep, a bus ticket home or a warm jacket against the coming bitter winter with the little coins we put into her cup. I would sleep better at night knowing that we were able to help.