Sharing a Birthday with a Homeless Friend

--by Esclarmonde, posted Apr 19, 2010

I live in a big Scandinavian city that unfortunately has a lot of homeless people. Luckily there are small ways of helping them even though you may not have a lot of money. One way to help is to buy their monthly magazine. By doing this one day, I got to know a young homeless man who was often standing at the train station, selling the magazine.

He was a refugee from another country and I can only imagine what kind of psychological scars he must have had from living in a war-torn country, escaping it and then ending up being homeless. After a while, I discovered that his birthday was close to mine which meant that we were born under the same sign of the Zodiac, something we talked about once in a while.

I met him last year shortly after his birthday, and without thinking, after congratulating him, I asked if he had had a good day. He looked down and said that he hadn't really celebrated. I felt so stupid.

I just couldn't bear the thought of this nice, young man being alone on his 25th birthday with no presents, no cake, no songs, nothing! So I went home and looked in my yarn basket and as luck would have it, I had two yarn cores of pure wool left. I set to work and knitted a scarf for the young man. As the yarn had become somewhat dusty since I don't knit very often anymore, I went out and bought special detergent for the wool so the scarf would be clean when he got it.

I ran into him on my own birthday as I was going shopping. I had hoped to meet him so I had carried the scarf around with me and a piece of my own birthday cake. He was very happy with these gifts and so was I. The light in his eyes and the heartfelt hug he gave me was the best present he could have given me!

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Posted by Esclarmonde
Apr 19, 2010
Comments (15)

Readers Comments

Jacinda wrote: Esclarmonde what a wonderful and kind idea! He would have definitely loved that! What a huge kind heart you have! Thank you so much for sharing. I hope you have a wonderful week! Keep up the awesome work! Love and Smiles, Jacinda :)

jaijagdesh wrote: I love this story. I sometimes forget how much everyone needs a kind thought, work or dee. But especially how ,much they enjoy sharing our good times with us.

smileamile wrote: Esclarmonde what a kind and thoughtful think to do for that young man. I am sure he was very touched. May god bless you for your kindness. :-) smileamile

Rebecca wrote: I am touched. Not everyone has the ability to see a need and even though some do - few actually try to fill it!

We need more poeple like you in this world! Just think what would happen if each of us found someone in need and asked them to celebrate our birthday's and other holidays with us!

God bless you!

Sara wrote: That's so awesome! Happy birthday to you both. <3 you just made someone else's birthday special.

sethi wrote: Thank you for being who you are.

bill wrote: I tried to help a homeless guy. At first he was grateful but then gradually he wanted more and more and more. Then started threatening me. And i heard from others he had a scary history of violence. Just be careful out there. What i learned is that a lot of these people are master manipulators. And this is from a non-profit organizer i met who knows the guy i tried to help. A friend of mine even got this guy into a sober living house. He lasted a week. He didn't want rules, instead chose to live off government assistance.

Laura wrote: Thanks for brightening this individuals life by your kind gesture. I am sure that it brightened a spot in his life. :)

Sindhu wrote: Great job esclarmonde. Very kind of u. I got inspired by u. The thought that u made someone else's birthday spl on ur own birthday is simply awesome. Btw belated happy birthday to u both. Keep it up.

denis khan wrote: “then he said to him who had invited him, “when you give a dinner or supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor your rich neighbors, lest they also invite your back, and you are repaid.

“but when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed and the blind.

“and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just. ” (luke14:12-14).

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