BE COOL, GIVE MONEY TO THE POOR (by N D)

At a certain point in your life, you realize that others are needy. For me it was my first visit to a food bank. Within I saw hundreds of cans of ham. Until then, I had no idea ham was sold in a can, and then I realized that this canned ham would be consumed by others, “less fortunate” than myself. I thought why give them canned ham, when you can give then a couple of dollars and they can buy themselves a hamburger at McDonald’s (which is worse, I cannot scientifically prove).

My mother always told me, there are people who at times in life, like everyone else have trouble, but sometimes it is more than any person can handle. I always wondered what the trouble is of those I throw some spare change at when I walk by. It seems the older I get, the more I give to street folk, but I think that will change when more of the money is mine and less someone else’s. It is like a bell curve in shape, when I was younger I didn’t give because I considered myself the needy. Now, I am much more liberal with my money and I often wonder why? Sometimes I find myself giving money, not for the sake of the person who needs it, but rather for my own. Greed. In giving them a couple of cents, I will feel good all day, a cheap thrill. Sometimes, I even find myself giving to kind of show off to strangers that I don’t need this change, look at me so nobly give it to the poor.

In Les Halles, I came across two beggars, a man and woman who appeared to be in some sort of relationship. I gave them no money, because they had something I didn’t, they had a mate or a love even. They had more than many people do, and I felt they didn’t deserve my ten cents. It seems easy to be selective in deciding who we give our change too, possibly someone who performs a song, or has a child. But in this case, my jealousy stopped me from giving them money, due to my own lack of something, to think this people might not monetarily be on my same level, so how can they socially excel. Greed.

Though I have money, I do not have love. They have love, but they do not have money. Love is something more valuable than money; therefore, they are richer than I am. The difference is that I may someday find love, and then have both, but chances are they will never have access to my wealth.