Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Money Flows - Let It


--by cf, posted Apr 23, 2013

After a sick-day on the couch I was walking around the block to get some fresh air. 

Just as I was turning back towards home I heard someone bawling. A kid, I thought at first. Then I saw it was an adult, a woman, looking lost, crying and calling out, walking on and off the sidewalk.
 
The woman who first crossed her path didn't stop or ask what was wrong. I guess that stopped me and made me turn around. 
 
I took her arm and gently pulled her back from the road, asking her what had happened.
 
There was spit all around her mouth and tear streaks down her cheeks. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Sobbing, she told me she'd been on the bus with a friend. She'd given her "friend" the last of her money and then the friend had disappeared. She couldn't get the bus home now since she didn't want to dodge the fare. She was hurt and disappointed and angry at herself for trusting this other person! 
 
She was a bit like a lost kid, dumped by a parent.
 
I calmed her down a bit then started walking with her towards the bus station. Me holding her arm seemed to calm her panic and she started walking more steadily. 
 
At the bus station I told her to sit down. I showed her the cash machine I was going to so she wouldn't feel abandoned again when I walked away.
 
I only wanted to give her five but the machine gave me a ten. So, I handed her the ten. Then I gave her some tissues and got her a tea from the kiosk.
 
She asked me if I could get her a cigarette, I did. Thinking she would be fine from there I said my goodbyes.
 
Later, I got a bit angry at myself. I have debts and live off welfare myself, so why did I give her double what she'd lost? Then I realized - I get given plenty! Not always money, but that too. So why not let it flow where it wants to go - and where its needed?

 

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Readers Comments

Deepak2J wrote: You did the right thing
DigitalMind wrote: Well done. It's amazing how often people will walk by and ignore someone who is clearly in trouble / distress. I've done it before and those times bother me to this day. I don't let that happen anymore, but it always takes courage to stop what I'm doing to go check-up on some stranger. ... Like Bluxess said, it makes your help even more generous considering you couldn't really afford to help, but you did anyways.
jsmc10 wrote: Bless you for thinking of others, thank you :)
Mish wrote: I am sure your kindness will come back to you. Bless you for this kindness to one in need.
FairyBubbles wrote: You kind and gentle soul - you did such a beautiful thing - you have touched my heart.
denisemj wrote: That was very Knid of you! Kindness always returns :)
AURELIA wrote: Good for you...it will come back to 10x! She will remember your kindness always. ~Aurelia
cf wrote: Thanks for your comments. Did my budget calculations for the month yesterday, got grumpy again for having given her the ten, but by today, I'd already forgotten about it, until I read your comments... :-)
Bluxess wrote: Cf, when you have a 100 and give away 10, it is one thing. But when you have 20 and give away 10, then the consequence of your action is far more reaching. Just think of the smile if this woman because she knows hope exists ... May the universe find a way to help you with money to be comfortable with ... Sending you lots of metha my friend :-)
cf wrote: Hey Bluxess... long time no read. :-) Thanks for your present. The woman was so distraught, and, I think, used to negative patterns, that she could only focus on the bad that had happened to her, at least, it seemed while I was with her. She didn't do me a favor and go all gooey on me, thanking me for my great gesture... ;-) She kept apologizing, beating herself up, there just was no cheering her up. But she calmed down, and then, of course, to me, it was just the right thing to do. I remember being racked by sorrow and wishing somebody would stop and just take care of me - well back then nobody did. So I guess I'm doing right by me. And who knows what will stay with her of the experience, that's out of my hands.

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