A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which read, “I am blind, please help.”
There were only a few coins in the hat – spare change from folks as they hurried past.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. Then he put the sign back in the boy’s hand so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon, the man who had changed the sign returned to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?”
The man said, “I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.”
I wrote, “Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it.”
Both signs spoke the truth. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind, while the second sign conveyed to everyone walking by how grateful they should be to see…
A nice story, but I worry it only creates what's seen again, while there are many stories unseen, who need to be told. We hopefully come to a time in life, where those in need of help, are taken care of to the point these stories no longer exist.
@scorpiolovedeep I wasn't trying to be downtrodden on your words, or what you saw. I just sometimes feel these stories leave people with happy thoughts that don't see beyond, nothing more. Charity is wonderful, but teaching a person how to fish is better. My ex's mother was homeless at one time, and I could learn from her gratitude too.
@scorpiolovedeep No, we don't give pause enough. I'll share a sad story, as I feel you will listen, I've done my time without pausing. I remember leaving a bar at 2am one night, finding fun in company, obviously drunk too - and the one young girl wanted to give money to the homeless man. That part is fine. She was leaving only a dollar, while he slept in minus 20 weather on the street. She wanted to wake him, to make him say, thank you. Her boyfriend whisked her away, even though he didn't see the need to give, but was very right, do not disturb the man. I only felt gratitude, in knowing, not to go back where I was invited. And since the story includes all walks of life, you just have to trust your gut.
