A Homeless Man’s Thanksfulness

Today on the way out of a gas station I was asked for money by a homeless man. In Atlanta, this is pretty common, and my default answer is no (I don’t give out cash), but after saying no to this man, I realized he really wanted a meal. So, I went back to him and walked him to the Wendy’s next door to buy him a burger.

After buying him what I think was a triple decker burger, or something to that effect, we sat and talked for a few minutes. His name was Benny and he was from Meridian Mississippi. He had come to Georgia for work, but now can’t get any work and has nothing. He sleeps at the airport, or other places downtown and is working to try to get back to Mississippi. In our conversation the thing that struck me was his thankfulness. He was genuinely thankful for what he had and even went so far as to recognize that many people are worse off than him. Wow. What a good reminder!

Here I am, often frustrated that the adoption process isn’t going as quickly as I would like or annoyed that some other small thing is going slightly askew, sitting across the table from a man with nothing who is thankful for what he does have.

I’m thankful for having met Benny today and for how he reminded me of what is really important.

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