I See You

I see you. 

I'm not the most benevolent person. I don't volunteer as often as I should.  I don't always seem to have a heart for the downtrodden. I like the comfort of my world, and am reluctant to reach out. 

That being said, I had an experience about a year ago that rocked me to the core. My friends and I were leaving a downtown restaurant when we encountered a homeless man. He was dirty and unshaven, and we immediately felt uncomfortable. As we said our goodbyes we all conveniently tried to ignore him hoping he would go away. 

As much as I did my best to pretend he wasn't there I found myself compelled to acknowledge him. I made eye contact and engaged him in conversation. What struck me immediately was the blueness of his eyes, and how by just looking at him he became not just some homeless man wandering the streets of Dallas, but an actual person. 

Now to be honest, I felt very uncomfortable because I wasn't sure if it was wise talking to some stranger who according to stereotypes could be dangerous. The man asked if I was married, and I replied, "Yes."  We exchanged a few more words, and as it was time to go he made his 

his way back to the side of the building. We made eye contact one more time, and as I smiled his eyes lit up and he gave me a thumbs up. 

I felt that what he was really needing more than anything else was just acknowledgement as a fellow human being. I had been guilty of discounting him as someone of lesser importance because of his circumstances. When I reached out to him I actually saw him, which I'm sure most people had not. It was a very humbling experience. 

Recently I was watching the trailer for the movie, Same Kind of Different as Me,  and the homeless man in the story said, "When you give a homeless man a plate of food, all you're saying is I see you." Tears immediately sprang to my eyes because I had experienced that very same thing the year before. I think we all crave that acknowledgement of our common humanity. 

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie this fall.