Homelessness, HomeWalk LA, and being Grateful (Audio)

ITP #39: This week brought with it two opportunities to reach out to the homeless community. Hear about this month's homeless outreach and some of the challenges facing families in the shelter and how you can help. And then there's that Gratitude List Anush said she's share with you. Take a listen Inside the Pomegranate.
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Homelessness, HomeWalk LA, and being Grateful

Our crew for this months' homeless outreach including
Yn Susan, Me, Fr. Vazken, Meline (Harout's mom), Sonig
and Kevork (Harout's aunt and uncle) and Ani T.

If you tuned in to last week's episode of the Next Step with Fr. Vazken, or if you're friends with "In His Shoes" on Facebook, you've no doubt heard about our homeless outreach last Thursday evening.  I've talked out our In His Shoes homeless outreach quite often....in fact I feel like I'm talking about it all the time.  But it's important.  And I wanted to mention what a beautiful gesture it is when a meal is donated in memory of a loved one to those who have no way of repaying the kindness.  A couple months ago, the Hamparian family donated the meal in memory of their daughter Cathia.  This month the meal was donated in memory of Harout Mekhdjian by his family.  We've had many other donors who have donated in memory of a dear father and husband, sister or a mother.  And in all these instances, I can tell you that the families leave the shelter after a night of service feeling uplifted.  This past week was no different.

We arrived at the shelter at 5:00 p.m. to prep for a 6:00 p.m. dinner.  After unloading the car, we started cooking.  There were mashed potatoes and stuffing to be made.  Harout's mom and aunt and uncle were offering a prayer of Thanksgiving for their son and nephew's life, by preparing a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings for the shelter residents.  Together we worked.   We all had our jobs.  I have never made such a huge pot of mashed potatoes...it was something like 28 cups of water, 14 cups of milk, 8 sticks of butter, and packet after packet of mashed potatoes!  The turkeys were prepped ahead of time and kept warm in the oven.  There was cranberry sauce and gravy to go with the potatoes and stuffing.  Salad, pumpkin pie with whipped cream.  As we worked happily in the kitchen, I noticed a little girl looking at us through the window.  The kitchen at the shelter has a glass window where we can serve and pass the meals over.  And this little girl was watching us.  If she were a bit taller she would have been able to press her nose to the glass, but she was still a little too short.  She answered with a nod when I asked if she was hungry.

The shelter is home to families...and this month we had a record number of children.  The little

girl looked familiar.  I normally remember the kids from month to month and I like to surprise them by remembering their names.  But I couldn't remember her name or when I had seen her last.  But her face stumped me.  As we were cooking, the residents starting returning to the shelter, which is closed during the day as the men and women go off to look for work, and the children go to school. Some of the children were playing together in the main room while we cooked and I saw a mother with a baby in a stroller.  I had definitely seen her before and then it all clicked.  Last year, my siblings and our families had "adopted" a family for Christmas fulfilling their wish lists for clothing and gifts.  The little girl was four last Christmas but was tiny wearing only a size 2 toddler.  Now at five, she had grown a little bit more, but was still small.  The family that we adopted - who were then in transitional housing after  a fire had devasted their home - were now back at the shelter.  The mother, who was very pregnant last year, had had her baby - Gabriel.   I went up to her and reintroduced myself.  She remembered.  After commenting on how her children had grown so beautifully, I asked what had happened.  Plain and simple, she answered the funding for housing had run out.  Without that, they found themselves back on the street.  With four children, and having nowhere to turn, she came back to the shelter.  Grateful as she was to be inside, the shelter had no beds for them, and so for the time being, they were being allowed to sleep on the floor of the waiting room on blankets.  

I really can't imagine what I would do in this situation if I couldn't rely on my family or friends.  It would be so scary and difficult to be homeless just by myself, but throw my young children into the situation?  I don't know how I would manage.  I didn't know what I could possibly say.  I asked, "What's next?  What's going to happen?"  She didn't have an answer  She was hoping for some type of program that will help them get into housing.  "Hopefully," she said.   For the time being, she was grateful that they had a roof to sleep under and were off the street.

One of the things I've noticed about Ascencia is that because of it's small size, the residents all become a part of each other's family, sort of.  It's not uncommon to see the children sitting with their friends while the mom's sit and talk together at their table over dinner.  It's intimate enough for parents to keep an eye on their kids and for the children to feel safe.   Her younger children seemed unphased by all they had been through.  I'm guessing it was because this type of trauma had become their norm.  They sat with some of the other children, eating, laughing, playing with their food like children do.  Angel, her son, remembered me and came up asking me if I remembered his name.   I needed a hint and asked what letter it started with.   Once he said "A", I remembered.  And then Chris and Lauren who have been there for the past few months asked me if I remembered their names too. Of course I did.  : )  I worry about these kids during the month.   I wonder how this will effect all of them.  The one that I fear is most affected is the teenage daughter who is about 14 but already looked mature and street smart for her age.  I noticed that she was sitting with the women, listening to their talking and complaints, learning about life from these women there who have no support systems and no one to rely on. These women who have been abused and neglected.  I think about my own teenage niece who has a loving family, is doing well in school, has interests and hobbies and parents that nurture and love her.  Even when you have everything going for you, being a teen is tough when you think about it.  So then what are this girl's odds of getting out of this situation unscathed given the emotional, psychological and physical trauma she's had to endure at a young age?

Fun pics from HomeWalkLA 2014 with
my husband Ned, niece Madi and dear
friend Nancy

I don't have the answer, but I can't sit back and do nothing either. And so we walked.  This past Saturday, Team In Her Shoes participated in HomeWalk L.A.  This is a  5K walk/run organized by United Way.  It was our 7th year participating.  And this year there were a record number of us walkers:  13,000 of us took to the streets of Los Angeles to raise money and awareness for the homeless of our city.  I want to thank those of you who donated to my walk!  This year's walk generated $1.3 million dollars to be used for helping LA's homeless population.  With the money raised, 1,300 families will be housed!!!  I hope and pray that our little family in Glendale will be able to reap the benefits of our efforts.

As we walked through the streets we learned about homelessness in our city.  There are 40,000 documented homeless men, women and children in LA.  If you count the undocumented in with them, it is estimated that there is closer to 53,000.  It's heartbreaking, isn't it?  Everyone deserves a home, a place to feel safe.  53,000 of us here in our city don't have that luxury. When you look at the even broader picture, the statistic is even more staggering. The National Center on Family Homelessness reports "One in 45 children experience homelessness in America each year.  That's over 1.6 million children.  While homeless, they experience high rates of acute and chronic health problems.  The constant barrage of stressful and traumatic experience also has profound effects on their development and ability to learn."  

So where am I going with all of this?  I don't have the answer.  Well, I guess that's not really true. What we can do...what we can ALL do is to keep them in our prayers.   AND we can extend the hand

of friendship and love to them as our brothers and sisters.  I understand.  Not all homeless people are friendly, but most are used to being invisible.  When I get off my bus in downtown, it's 6:45 in the morning when I start walking the few blocks to work.   I've got my headphones in as do probably 80% of those that I pass.  There are homeless individuals who are just waking up from a night on the street.  I can choose to keep my headphones in and pass them by acting like I don't hear them asking for help.  Or I can take the headphones off and address them.   I can't always help, but I can always acknowledge that I hear them.  I can always say hello and listen.  I can always show them compassion and treat them as I would want to be treated.  Last week, I challenged my readers to get involved in their local shelters.  Offer to serve or cook a meal, donate clothing, adopt a family for the holidays.  Remember always that without our own support systems (our family and friends), it would be very easy for us to be in their shoes.  So lets help by walking in the shoes of those that are suffering, and offer a helping hand whenever we can.  It's what we're called to do. 

Finally, last week I said I was going to share a Thanksgiving list with you.  Stuff to be grateful for.  I

What if it really happened?  What would you have?

actually started doing this last month and have continued well into this month and will take it beyond. I've been trying to do FIVE a day, and I'll tell you, it's really changed my perspective so much on all that I have in this beautiful life.  So here I will just share some of them with you in the hopes that you'll share some of yours with me!

So here;s my Gratitude List so far:

I am grateful for....

1.  This beautiful day that God has put in front of me.

2.  Our beautiful grandchildren Arek and Grace who bring so much joy into my life.

3.  The ability to swing a kettle bell and bend my knees today (I have arthritis and some days the inflammation is terribly painful...but for today, the knees are good!

4.  My mom and the relationship I share with her

5.  A boss that listened to me when I told her my job was unfulfilling to me unless I could be creative.....and allowed me to work a 4 day week and keep my benefits, so I could spend time growing my business.  Or the fact that she doesn't flip out when I tell her I'm going to be late when I have to take mom to the doctor.

6.  My faith...that teaches me love, compassion, tolerance and forgiveness of others (although I'm still working on being loving, compassionate and forgiving of myself)

7.  My husband who truly is my understanding and caring partner

8.  The relationship I share with my children.  I am blessed to be close to both my daughter and son.

9.  Cloudy mornings that are so beautiful and chilly

10.  Music...and it's ability to color my life with memories

11.  Running water/plumbing:  I am always reminded of how lucky I am to have clean water, plumbing, the ability to shower and wash myself when I see my friends on the street.  

12. My sister, brothers, and their spouses.  The support and love that we give to one another makes life so much easier.

13.  Good coffee

14.  A variety of healthy beautifully colored fruits and vegetables

15.  Friendly people at the bus stop that make my wait nicer

16  My health!

17.  The ability to buy groceries and pay my bills

18.  A phone that allows me to see photos of my grandson and how quickly he's growing

19.  Bright, sunny and windy fall days like today

20.  Heating that makes my home warm and cozy on chilly evenings

21.  My kitties who love me unconditionally

22.  Dear friends to share life's ups and downs with

23.  Healthcare - I've seen both sides of this one, and life is so much easier when you have health insurance!

24.  The ability to create, visualize, and actualize a project to completion

25.  Curiosity that keeps me wanting to learn new things and figure out stuff

------I'll keep adding to the list daily and I hope it will encourage you to take a look at all that is beautiful in your lives too!

 If you'd like to share your list (or anything else with me), or if you'd like more information about sponsoring one of our homeless outreach meals, please email me at anushnoor@gmail.com or you can find me on facebook too!  Or feel free to leave your comments!

Also, we're full swing into our Thanksgiving canned food drive.  If you're in our local area of Glendale, CA and would like to participate, please bring your dry and canned goods to our church by next Sunday, November 23rd.  We'll be boxing up food and turkeys for Thanksgiving distribution on on Thanksgiving eve. 

Catching Up....Has it really been Six Months? (Audio)

ITP #38: The past 6 months have flown by. Anush is back and playing "catch up " in this episode: from grandparenthood, World Adoption Day, to the illustration of her second book, tackling fears about work (and making it work!), to walking for the homeless...it's all inside! Inside the Pomegranate!
Links: Anush's email
Story of Nareg
Anush's HomeWalk Donation Page
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Catching Up....Has it really been Six Months?

What?  Is it really November already and have I truly not posted since May???  That's, like, six months! How can that be?  It's crazy how time has just flown by, but I guess it's true.  I took a break, but life didn't.  And during all these weeks that have flown by, I want you to know that I seriously did give my blog and my podcast thought.  I wanted to post and record,  but I was looking for that perfect time - the time to just sit down at my computer, collect my thoughts, and reconnect, but it just never came.  And so this morning....this beautiful morning, with last week's craft show behind me, and regrouting our kitchen sink ahead of me, I decided to put the brakes on and well, here I am!

So much has happened since we were together last.  It's hard to put it all in order, but I'll try. The
most amazing, and wonderful, and life-changing thing that has happened is that I am now Medzig to our new baby grandson, Arek!  My daughter and son-in-law were blessed with a beautiful little boy on Labor Day, September 1...and then we, in turn, were blessed as well!  And life, as we know it, has changed.  I am in love with my grandson.   My cell phone is overloaded with photos of him, and I can now understand Mamajan's (my mom's) obsession with taking photos of us all.  They are what I look at between visits with my grandbaby.  What a blessing.  He is 10 weeks old, and when he smiles at me, it just melts my heart.  

Smiling for Medzig!!!

I had always heard about the joys of being a grandparent, but until you're here, you don't understand it. I'm the one in the crowd holding my cellphone ready to show pictures of Arek to anyone and everyone.   Complete strangers even!  And although I get it....not everyone shares my excitement,.. it's hard to contain. My heart is just overflowing with love.

But it's not only about having a grandson, but there's another huge factor in this happiness:  It's  about our children.  When your child is born, you pray to God for His protection, wisdom and blessings on them.  When Ani was still pregnant, we were talking about her worries about labor, delivery, motherhood.  It's all fear of the unknown, right?  I told her not to worry (that part was totally normal) but to pray, and have faith.  And then I realized something pretty profound:  Since the day I found out I was pregnant with Ani, and since the day we knew about the possibility of adopting Nareg,  I have prayed for them EVERY DAY!  I can honestly say that other than waking up in the morning, there is not ONE thing that I can say I have done every single day other than pray and give thanks for my children.  That's a lot of prayers!!!   If you are parents of faith, you know what I'm talking about right?  Praying for our families, our children, is a daily thing....even several times a day sometimes.  We give thanks for them, we pray for their safety going to and from school, we pray that God give them the needed wisdom to focus on a test, or that they choose the right friends, make the right decisions.  We pray for their health, we give thanks for the sticky hugs and kisses.  And we pray for openness to accept God's will for them, whatever that may be.  

And miraculously, it all comes together.  It was just yesterday that I blogged about the two of them getting married, and now Ani and Eric are parents!.  There's a joy that fills my heart when I see them with their new baby.  So caring, so loving.  In just the short couple of months that have gone by since Arek was born they can't imagine their lives without him.  I had gone over for a visit (seriously, I can't go more than 3 days without my Arek fix).  Eric and Ani were sharing about their past trip to Italy and how beautiful it was.  I told them that they would just need to go back in a few years.  And that they could leave Arek with us.  And I really loved what Eric shared with me. He shared that growing up, his parents never went on vacation without them.  That his greatest childhood memories were of those vacations together.  Sitting around campfires, or traveling together.  And that's what he and Ani hoped to do with their children too.  It was beautiful to see how full circle we had come. Thinking back to when our kids were young, it was the same way with my parents when we were young.  Our modest camping vacations or trips to local beaches and mountains hold the best memories.  Collecting shells, climbing tide pools, building sandcastle, finding colorful fall leaves and acorns.  Simple things that glue us together with beautiful memories.  Needless to say I'm so proud of them both. Arek is a lucky little boy! 

But I have been blessed with two children, and I am equally as proud of my son Nareg.  Recently his girlfriend brought to my attention that this past Sunday, November 9 was World Adoption Day.  How beautiful.  A day where we acknowledge adoption and families that are made possible because of it. As I was going through my past photos, looking for pictures to share of my son and I, I couldn't help but think about Nareg through the years and how far he had come.  How much he has grown, and how rich our lives are because of the decision to adopt.  Last year I shared with you the Story of Nareg and how we were blessed with our son.  It was 24 years ago that he joined our family.  And since that day he has brought his positive energy, love, and inner joy to our family despite the adversities he has faced.  Just the other day, he had found a little school picture of himself.  I think it was his 6th grade photo so it would have been about 2 years after he was adopted.  There he was with a little gel in his wavy hair, his always warm smile.  I flashed back to him on his bike when he did a daredevil ride down the Wilkie's steep driveway and crashed into the fence across the street, or the time I got a call from the neighbor that he was setting leaves on fire in their back yard, or that he had turned trashcans over one street up.  And then i remembered the day in the kitchen when he was just our foster child prior to the adoption, when he asked us if we would adopt him.  Going to his jazz band concerts, basketball games, the uncanny way he would memorize baseball stats, I remembered all those things, but mostly his loving nature. That little boy i the picture is still in there, he's just all grown up on the outside now.  Anyways, I wanted to just share a little with you about how blessed we have been to have adopted Nareg.  He grew in my heart, and I am so blessed and fortunate to be able to call myself his mom.

I almost forgot one other big reason why I haven't been here.  Prior to Arek's birth, about 2

Panel from my new book showing the priest pouring the
holy muron into the baptismal font

months prior, I was commissioned again by the Armenian Church Eastern Diocese to illustrate my second book!  This time the book is about baptism in the Armenian church.  The format of the book will be the same, The only stipulation of my acceptance of the job was that they wanted all the illustrations done by September...and it was the end of June when they contacted me.  That's not a lot of time when you have a full time day job, have family responsibilities and want to spend time helping your expectant daughter, but I said yes!

My first book, "When I Go To Church" was illustrated with colored pencil and pen and ink. I've always worked in pencil, doing a lot of layering of colors to get the right color saturation.  This time around I used a new medium....Prismacolor markers, and it just made the job so much easier, brighter and faster...and therefore, more FUN! It was an intense couple of months but I was able to get the illustrations done on time.  Arek was born, and I had just a week to get the illustrations shipped out to New York, but I did it!   The book is off to the printer now, and I'm told it will be published in time for Christmas this year!  I'll definitely let you know when it's available.

And then another exciting thing (see, I'm filled with all kinds of exciting stuff, right?)  I had been struggling for the past few  years about my job in the insurance world.  I came into this job out of necessity.  It's not a creative job.  And for me, it's been very stifling in an "energy suck" sort of way.  After months of feeling stuck I thought of a plan: what if I worked 4 days a week and used one day to work on my jewelry and art?  It sounded good but I was sure my boss wouldn't go for it.  Another consideration was my benefits.  Given all my health and cancer issues, I was afraid of losing my health insurance.  Anyways, I just prayed about it....all the time telling myself they weren't going to go for it but at the same time asking God to please make something happen for me.   Along with my unhappiness, my attitude just kept getting  worse and worse.  I would go to work early in the morning, come home drained, deal with home and family, no creative outlet...I felt like that part of me was dying.  I had to do something.  And I did.

One morning, God gave me the courage to go in and talk to my boss.  I told her how I was feeling. Surprisingly, she was actually supportive.  She told me she didn't want to lose me and so if this was what I needed to do, that she would see what we could do to make it work.  Imagine that.  Working a 10 hour day wouldn't work because of overtime issues, but we figured out how many hours I would need to work in order to keep my benefits.  And she made it happen.  So I'm now working a 4 day work week.  And it's really amazing how just getting that extra day to be creative has helped change my attitude for the better.  The weekends have always been so full of chores and family, church and catching up.  So having that extra day has been just what I needed.  I've been able to focus my energy on making new designs in my jewelry and drawings.  And having that creative outlet has really helped my productivity at my job too.  Though my hours are longer, I try to get everything done in four days rather than five and come Friday, I am so happy to be done for the week with 3 days ahead of me.

So, take it from me, don't be afraid to dream and make it happen.  I was so sure that this was not going to be something that would be happening for me.  I had worked out every scenario in my head as to what my boss was going to say as to why my plan wouldn't work.  That was all fear.  Through prayer I got the courage to act and when the time was right, it happened.

Last month's homeless outreach, my sister
Susan and I working the sundae bar for
the residents there!!! Would you like
whipped cream with that??

Let's see, what else?  Our homeless outreach is still happening on a monthly basis.  We'll be at Ascencia, Glendale's homeless shelter this coming Thursday evening. We've been faithfully serving our homeless brothers and sisters there each month, and we are seeing more families with children.  This month is no exception.  Sadly. Want to get involved?   I'm sure there is a shelter in your local area. I'd like to encourage all of you to give them a call and see how you can get involved.  This time of year, I'm sure their needs are even greater as the holidays are approaching the weather is getting colder.  You can offer to serve a meal there, or organize your friends/family to cook dinner for the residents.  You could take it a step further and consider adopting a needy family for the holidays by providing clothing and toys for them for Christmas.  If nothing more, maybe you can drop of yused clothing or canned goods or some furniture for families in transition, I'm sure your help will be welcomed and greatly appreciated.  And if you'd like to donate to our In His Shoes Homeless outreach, please email me directly, and let me know:  anushnoor@gmail.com

This coming Saturday, our In His Shoes outreach group will be walking to raise awareness at Home Walk L.A., and annual event held to raise money and awareness for the homeless in our city.  This year, everything that we raise will be matched, so a $10 donation is like $20!  $50 is $100!  If you'd like to donate, I'll include the link to my donation page on today's show (or click this link!) . 

Our In His Shoes Team of Walkers at Home Walk L.A. 2013
Walking to end homelessness!

And finally, Given that we're in the month of November, and it's the month of Thanksgiving, I'm going to be adding something to be thankful for every day of this month....and I'll share part of it list with you next week....and we'll just keep it going for the month of November, and maybe even beyond!
Share with me!  Leave a comment on my blog about what you're thankful for.

We have so much.  We're so blessed.

Peace Anniversary (Audio)

ITP #22: On this week's Inside the Pomegranate, Anush shares a special anniversary. Also, news about In His Shoes participation in Homewalk - a 5K to end homelessness, but more importantly, about empowering our youth to stand up for the causes that they believe in. And the conclusion to the Thanksgiving list of "Little Things to be Thankful For". It's all on Episode 22 of Inside the Pomegranate
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Peace Anniversary

Add caption

This past Saturday, our team - In His Shoes - participated in an annual 5K that we've been involved in called HomeWalk.  I want to tell you all about it, but first I wanted to share with you a little bit about a journey that I've been on - because it's time! And then,  I promise, we'll get back to the Homewalk, and then of course my new list of the little things I'm thankful for.  Deal?

I wanted to share that this weekend was my anniversary!  No, not my wedding anniversary. It's my peace anniversary! Peaceaverary?  Now what, you may ask, is a peace anniversary?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  I haven't wanted to talk about this prior to this weekend to avoid sounding preachy, but this week marks one year to I can share now that's it's official.  This Saturday marked one year  that I have been a vegetarian. And what do you ask does that have to do with peace?  Well, I'm so glad you asked.  Because all of this came about through a prayer.  A prayer   for peace. Here's how it happened.  I always pray for peace.  So last year, sometime around June, during my prayer for peace I received an answer.  And it came through with such clarity.  The message was this:  If you want peace, be peace.  Live peace.  Breathe peace.  Work for peace.  I actually heard God (with my voice) tell me this message.  And I remember then, just being still with it, and trying to digest what had just been sent to me.  I remember one of the first thoughts that came to me after that was about vegetarianism.  I told myself that God had told me something profound. And  how can I live peace and be peace if something has to die in order for me to live?  But then, the little Armenian devil on my shoulder tried to chime in.  "You can't be Armenian and be a vegetarian!  What about kebab?"  Ooo...now there was something I didn't think of.  That's right,  there's kebab involved. 

Around that time we were training for the Avon walk.  I remember the prayer staying with me.  And so when Linda Z and I were walking one afternoon around the Rosebowl, I shared the peace message with her, and I my thoughts about vegetarianism and the kebab struggle.  Now this is what's funny: in all reality, we hardly ever eat kebab, so I don't understand why it was such a big deal to me, but it was.  The whole thing about inconveniencing people who's home you were going to for dinner also played into the equation.  Or beingout on a business lunch, having to explain, y'know?  So I remember Linda telling me that maybe I was interjecting that message into it.  Sure, you have to be peace, breathe peace, work for peace, etc.,  but there are other ways to do that that doesn't involve giving up meat.  It made me think about it at least.  And continue on as is for a few months at least.  But I couldn't.  The message was a strong one and it kept revisiting me always there in the back of my mind.

And then one afternoon, when I was researching something on the net, I came across a movie on YouTube called Earthlings.  Have you heard of it?  Let me tell you right now, that if you have no intention of giving up animals, then do NOT watch this movie.  The idea is that we are on this planet Earth and we think of ourselves as the only Earthlings.  But we're not.  The animals that share this planet with us are also Earthlings. And then the movie goes on to talk about the animals that we consume, how they are penned, fed and treated, and what they go through during the slaughter.  The pain and suffering.  That movie was a 9-part series, and when it was over, I was a vegetarian.  I mean, how many of us even think about what we're eating.  It's all packaged up for us at the market - clean and neat.  My intention here is not to convince you to convert or tell how you should eat because this is my journey and it works for me.  But I ask that you just consciously think about what it is that you're eating. Okay? So anyways... It's been a year now, and no regrets!  I haven't eaten anything with a face or a mother.  It's been a good year.  And the whole Armenian part hasn't been as big a deal as I thought it would be. And there are so many great vegetarian and vegan recipes that are part of our Armenian cuisine that I don't miss the meat at all.  So that's it.  It's been a year of peace.  And I am going to continue on this peaceful journey for years to come.

HOMEWALK 2013
Okay, so now I wanted to share with you about this weekend's Homewalk.  Every November for the past 7

Team In His Shoes

years, the United Way organization puts on the Homewalk.  This is a walk that helps the homeless, raising money for housing and programs.  This year, Team In His Shoes was 9  walkers strong.  And I posted some of the photos on our In His Shoes facebook page so please check them out.  But what I specifically wanted to write about today was not just the details about the walk, but about walking with our younger generation....and about teaching them, at a young age, to align with a cause that speaks to them...and then to work toward the betterment of that cause by fundraising for it.  Or giving  time and energy toward it.

Last year I asked my niece Madi to walk in the Homewalk with Neddy and I.  She did it, and we had a great time.  But more importantly, she saw all the other kids that were out there, just like her. She saw what a difference a bank of like-minded people can make.   And she also got the chance to get educated about the homelessness problem in Los Angeles.  There are families out there, mom's pushing strollers, homeless people that are walking and sharing their stories, young and old.  We're all out there walking to end homelessness. There are organzations and schools that bring groups in to walk. So anyways...the registration for minors is free.  So it's easy to sign up to walk.  You don't have to fundraise, although that's what is hoped that you'll do.   But last year we registered, adults paid their fees, kids were free, we got our tshirts, and we walked in solidarity.

So this year, when it was time to register, I asked Madi if she'd like to walk again.  She told me she was looking forward to it.  Again, we signed up except this year I told madi she needed to fundraise. "What? Who am I going to ask?"  Now think about that.  Valid point, right?  At 14 you don't have friends that have money and/or jobs.  So the idea of fundraising was a scary one.  Still, I set a goal for her.  $50.   That was doable.  And then nothing happened.

A couple weeks ago, I bugged her.  "Madi, you need to fundraise.  I see that your website is not even up yet."  "I will."  And another week went by, still nothing.  Okay, now we're just 5 days from the walk, and it was time to start getting serious. I called, FB messaged and finally, the Monday prior to the walk, the webpage was personalized and she was ready to go.  And to make a long story short, she raised the $50 and actually surpassed it.  Who did she ask?  Family, parents of her friends, but she made it happen.

My adorable niece (and God-daughter), Madi

Okay, big deal, you say.  But it IS a big deal.  Along the routeMadi and I got a chance to talk.  We took photos along the way.  There were areas along the route with questions to ask yourself.  "If you were suddenly homeless and could only carry with you three things,"  said one sign, "what three things would you take in your shopping cart?"  Madi's answer, cellphone/charger, guitar and laptop.  My three? photo album, flute, and Madi (since she can play her guitar and sing to create some revenue for her dear sweet aunt.  right?) But seriously, we did have a good conversation about the importance of commiting to a cause.  And then discussing it with others.  Being prepared to work for the outcome of that cause.  Even if it meant asking people for money.  Because remember, I told her, you're not asking for it for yourself but for the cause.

So that's the jist of it.  Back when I was a kid, the norm was protest.  We would picket, and walk, and align ourselves with issues and causes.  But I don't see it like that today.  So that's why by registering for these type of walks, or getting our children involved in volunterring, we teach them important lessons about giving and seflessness.  It's important that we teach by example too.  When our children grow up seeing us do these things, they will learn by example.  But they also need to learn by dialogue and goal setting as well.  They need to be pushed.  And they need to know that all these things come with a price.  Yes, signing up as a minor is free, but there is the cost of the tshirt, the advertising, etc.  If we can all do our part to help, more of the money raised will help the cause.  After walking the 5K HomeWalk and having raised $80, my niece felt accomplished and proud of herself.  And you know what?  I am very proud of her too.

I just want to say though that it's up to us to guide our children in these area.  To push them toward the things that matter, because the outside influences are too great.  If you believe in a cause, then you should support it.  And the same goes for our church and our ministry.  If you believe in the message and the good works that are coming out of it, then show your support!  Enough said?

And now, here's this week's list of the little things that make my life more beautiful:

Little Things I'm Thankful For: 
1.  Think about the smell of Palmolive soap and onions when your grandma first opens the door of her house and you walk in.  Think about smelling the roses blooming in the garden, or your favorite perfume.  My first item to be thankful for is my sense of smell.  Imagine going through life with a cold in your nose and not being able to smell the delicious smell of a newborn, the spicy smell of a carnation, or the incense in church.  We're blessed with this sense of smell that makes our lives so full.

2.  Scented candles.  Yep.  They're so good.  Especially arount the holidays when they come out with their winter fragrances - especially the pine, cranberry, apple spice.  I love lighting candles and having my house smell great during the holidays.

3.  A garden.  I'm thankful that I have a small patch of garden that I can grow - or at least attempt to grow - vegetables, flowers and plants.  Gardens reassure us in the hope for tomorrow and new surprises.  I'm grateful for my garden.

4.  Social Media.   I'm thankful for being connected, and for the wonderful frends I've met through Facebook, Twitter, and my blog.  There are good and bad aspects of it, but in general, I like being able to keep in touch with friends and family.   Think about it.  If it weren't for social media, I probably would never have met you!

5.  Flowers.  Whether they are sent to me at work, or it's the wild geranium that's growing in my front yard, I am thankful for the beauty and fragrance of flowers.  The colors, shapes and sizes...varieties are unlimited, and like I always say, God is the best artist!

6.  Fridays!  I'm always thankful for Fridays. It's been said that the first five days after the weekend are the hardest.  And I always find that my work week gets better and better the closer we get to Friday.  It's really my favorite day of the week, even though half of it is spent on being at work.  Saturday is always filled with all the chores.  Sunday there's church, and then by the time you have lunch and clean up, it's time to finish up projects and start planning for Monday again.  But Fridays when work is finished....that's the day that's filled with fun and hope for a great weekend.

and finally 7.  YOU!  Not that you're a little thing, you know...but I am thank you for each of you .  Thank you for reading, listening, commenting and praying for me.

Finally, I want to take this time to wish all of you a very happy and blesssed Thanksgiving.  I hope our little exercise in the little things has helped you appreciate all that you have, large and small, and help you to understand how truly blessed we all are.  God bless your families this Thanksgivig and always.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

The Importance of Dignity (Audio)

ITP #15: October already! It’s hard to believe that the holidays are just around the corner. In this episode, Anush takes a look at extending a hand up to the homeless population, upholding dignity, and giving from the heart.
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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The Importance of Dignity

The approach of October 1 at my day job is always a time of craziness, and that made for a really trying week.  It's hard to believe that September is already over, and you know that the next 3 months are going to fly by.  Here in the U.S., the stores have a couple aisles side-by-side devoted to the seasonal stuff.  It's a combination of Halloween costumes and candy/Thanksgiving turkeys and fall leaf decor and Christmas decorations!  And that's really how it's going to come and go in a flash!  It seems like just a few months ago that I was writing about my daughter's wedding, and in just a couple weeks, she and Eric will be celebrating their 1st anniversary.  Already!

This time of year marks the beginning of the approaching holiday season.  In general, people tend to be a little more generous during this time of year...usually.  I know that the economic downturn, however, has made it stressful on many of us.  It seems that the bills are always there, no matter what.  And then life throws us a few curveballs along the way:  the car breaks down (we know what that's about!), you've got to take an unexpected trip, medical expenses, etc.  It's easy for us to get stressed out about finances.  And then the Christmas season is just around the corner and with it comes the gift giving madness...you know how that goes.

As difficult as it does seem to get at times though, it's not as bad as it could be.  We still have a roof over our heads, food in the fridge, clothing on our backs, and a bed to sleep in at night.  At least most of us do.  And this week, I wanted to talk about the part of our population that doesn't have these blessings.  The homeless population.

If you've been following my blog or listening to my podcast, you know that I am involved in our In His Shoes homeless outreach.  I am in tune to this vulnerable population...not only because I work downtown, but because I was brought up with parents that cared about them as well.   For the past 6 years, we have been providing meals and clothing to the homeless population on L.A's streets in the skid row area on a monthly basis.  And recently we have partnered with Glendale's homeless shelter and we are now providing homecooked meals to the residents there.   This gives us the opportunity to not only have fun cooking for them and watching them enjoy our efforts, but it also gives us a chance to sit down with them, talk to them, and to understand that they are no different than we are....except that we have support systems, and they don't.

Today, though, I wanted to write about those that don't even have the four walls of the shelter to keep them warm and dry.  I write about those that are living on the streets because I want to share some things that I've witnessed over these past weeks, months....years.  Especially as it deals with dignity.

I witnessed something this past Monday morning that is still pulling at my heart today, nearly a week later.  I take the bus into downtown L.A.  And as I got off at my stop, there was a group of us standing at the signal waiting for it to turn green.  I noticed a woman about 20 feet away.  She looked poor, though I can't really tell you she was homeless.  I could tell she had tried very hard to put herself together.  She wore pants and a shirt.  They were clean but very worn.  Her hair was combed to the side, her shoes had holes.  I could tell she was thinking about something.  I understood from her posture and from working with the homeless that she was trying to get the courage to ask for help.  She came closer.  Right next to me was a beautiful woman, dressed to the "t".  Shoes, clothes, make up, matching bag, jewelry were all perfect and her hair was layered and flat ironed.  She was very well put together.  The poor woman approached her.  I heard her start the conversation which went something like this:  "Ma'am, good morning.  I love how you have your hair.  The way it's layered.  It looks so lovely on you....."  Okay, now if someone said this to you, would you not have the courtesy to say, "Thank you"?  I was really taken aback when the pretty woman stopped this woman in mid-sentence, held out her hand like a policeman stopping traffic and said, "Stop!  If you're going to ask me for money, I don't have any!"  If you could see the poor woman's expression of horror when she was confronted this way.  I heard her mumble something about needing only 35 cents...and then the poor woman apologized.    I was so sickened, and saddened by this.  I wanted to follow her as she walked off and give her money, buy her food....but I couldn't because at that moment that's not what she needed.   she had lost her dignity.  I know how mortified she felt at the rich woman's response. She had mustered up all the courage she had to approach this woman in the first place, and then to be rejected so terribly.  I couldn't make it worse by showing her that I had heard the whole thing. I watched her gather herself together and walk away.

You've heard me talk about my homeless friend Bob.  I learned a long time ago to allow him to give back to me as well  Over the course of the 5 or so years that I have had the pleasure of knowing him, he has given me so much:  a penny with a hole stamped in it; a box with an Alaskan fish painted on it; a bag of nuts; a piece of candy; a white chocolate egg....and most importantly his wonderful friendship.  When he first offered to share some candy with me, I thanked him and refused.  But I noticed how that made him feel.  When you're homeless, people avoid you.  It's a given that you're going to ask for help.  You already feel invisible as people avoid you, walk around you, don't acknowledge your presence.   The simple act of talking to someone, and sharing something you own with them, makes you feel like you too have something to share. Like you too can contribute to the friendship.  One of the things that Bob likes most, more than donations or food or money, is when people stop and talk to him.  If you call him by name, he's your friend for life.    And so I accept Bob's gifts of friendship.   And I cherish them.  Because here is someone who has so little.  Everything he owns is packed onto his wheelchair...yet he has so much, that he wants to share it with me.  I am touched by his friendship.  Bob has got dignity!

A few years ago, I witnessed this dignity in a homeless man on one of our Skid Row outreaches.
We had pulled up to our first stop on 4th Street and San Pedro.  There was a small encampment of people living in boxes (if they were lucky to have a box) or on the sidewalk.  It was a cold Fall night, and a man came up and asked if I would have a pair of shoes for him.  He said that he had shoes, and if we didn't have any, that was fine. But he thought he'd ask.  The sidewalk had puddles from the rain that day, and the man's shoes were canvas and looked a bit damp.  I dug around and found a pair of leather high top shoes.  I held them up and asked if he could use them.  He looked at them.  He smiled.  He said they looked great.  He hoped they fit.  He said he wouldn't take them if they didn't fit.  And he took the pair of socks I offered him and set about to try them on.  While he was trying them, I asked if he could use some soup, an emergency blanket?  A rain poncho? "I'm good," he said.  "I have everything I need, but thank you."  

The shoes fit.  He was smiling....and stomping around.  Then he did something I will always remember.  He handed me his canvas shoes, and said, "I'll donate these to you.  They're worn, but someone else can make some use of them.  Oh, and I'd like to give you a donation."  When I thanked him but said it wasn't necessary, he said, "Oh, no, I know it's not necessary, but I'd like to.  It's important that we help one another.  And your group is here helping us."  He pulled out two rumpled dollar bills from his pocket and handed it to me with thanks.  I was so touched.  He looked like all he had was the clothing on his back and the new shoes on his feet.  But he was happy.   You could tell he had been on the streets for a long time.  But he still had his dignity.  He didn't want to take without giving back.  

These are just a few examples out of many that I've experienced on the street.  The economic downturn can cause us all be feel less charitable.  Of course, we're all feeling it.  That feeling that, "I can't help someone else.  Some days it feels like we can barely help ourselves."  But is that really the case?  Like I mentioned, if we have a roof over our heads, clothing on our backs, food in our tummies, then we CAN help others.  Maybe we can't give financially, but do you have enough food?  Then maybe you can pack an extra sandwich one day a week and pass it to someone who is hungry.  Maybe you didn't get to eat that apple that you packed for your lunch?  The gift of a piece of fresh fruit is a blessing to someone who is living on the sidewalk.   Okay, maybe you don't pack your lunch.  Maybe you're out on a business lunch...how about putting some of your lunch aside in a doggy bag to share with someone on the street?  

The weather is starting to get chilly in the evenings.  Going through your closet you find a sweater or two that you haven't worn for a couple years.  It may be a designer label, but what good is it doing in your closet?  Wouldn't it be nice to share that with someone who has no sweater?  You see what I'm saying?  This may all seem really obvious to you, but when I talk to people about the homeless population, I hear lots of different opinions and some of them are very negative and judgmental.  And is it our place to judge?   Nope!

When you think about it, we are all vulnerable without the love and support of our family and friends.  Remove them from our personal equations and then think about what would happen if you didn't have them as your support net.  Then think about not having that support, losing your job, losing your home, and then maybe having a dependency problem on top of it all.   Life is not easy these days.  It's it's especially tough when you're robbed of your dignity by having to ask for food and money.  

I also realize that not all of you have contact with homeless individuals, but there are still shelters and food banks that could use our help.  With Christmas approaching, there are families that need help.  What about adopting a needy family (with your family) and providing groceries for them?  Donate to your local food bank, volunteer your time at a shelter.  Get involved with charitable giving.  At our church, St. Peter, we have all kinds of programs to help make our Thanksgiving and Christmas more meaningful.  We have our annual food drive where we provide turkeys and food to needy families in our community, we have a toy drive to provide toys for the children of domestic abuse in the shelter, and our annual blanket project has us all knitting and crocheting beautiful masterpieces to give to those in hospitals and cancer wards.  What about you?  There's so much to do.  And so much we can do.  But what we should never do is rob someone of their dignity.  It's only the giving that makes us what we are!

So whether you can give financially- and many, many, MANY thanks to those of you who so generously donate to our ministry and our homeless outreach - or you can give of yourself...the importance is in giving...from the heart! 

As we start this new season and gear up for the Thanksgiving and Christmas, let's all work together in sharing Christ's love, compassion and peace with ALL those that we come in contact with.

If you're interested in sponsoring one of our homeless outreaches, you can shoot me an email at anushnoor@gmail.com

Volunteers Needed for LA's Homeless Count 1/30 and 1/31

Just a quick post to ask for volunteers.  Every two year's, Los Angeles does a Homeless Count.  This year it's taking place today, tomorrow and Thursday, and volunteers are needed on January 30 and 31.  Some of our In His Shoes team will be working the count tomorrow evening.  Please share this, and click on the website link for volunteer information.  Together we can help to end homelessness in our city:  http://www.theycountwillyou.org/

They count!  Will you?

Tidings of Comfort and Joy -- Heavy on the Joy!

I’m still smiling from last night’s homeless outreach.  I’ve been thinking about it since last night.  I think one of the reasons that our In His Shoes homeless outreach is so successful is that we’re “heavy on the joy".  Sure, we provide food and clothing…that’s the comfort, but nothing was more evident than the joy factor last night.

Passing out soup (this pic is from Summer when it's still
light out.

The joy started before last night.  A few nights ago, when we realized we didn’t have enough clothing to share, we put out a post on Facebook.  I was really surprised at the outpouring of love that came forward from that one post.  Friends I haven’t spoken to for months responded, dropping bags of clothing at church for us.  Sunday after church, another several bags were taken to the back of my car from parishioners who had seen the post.  Text messages bounced back and forth about sock donations, a friend’s trip to the store to buy jackets and sleeping bags for us.  People were responding out of joy and love.

And then there’s the preparation.  Our prep time takes about an hour as we gather everything we’ve collected, clothing, snacks, soup, water.  There is joy in the unwrapping of the soup containers, in the packing of the cars, and then in the distribution.  I was hearing it last night in the laughter as Suzie and her crew distributed the right item of clothing to the right person.  The joy was definitely there when we sang Silent Night or the Hippopotamus song while handing out soup out of our car, and it was there when we received the blessings and smiles of those that we helped.  You have to picture it….as we pull away, they wave at us, thanking and blessing us.  We thank and bless them in return. We are the ones that are granted this privilege to help them.

One of the regulars on the street is a missionary from Africa named Doris Dolly Dorothy.  Dressed in gleaming white with a beautiful smile, she is there on the street by choice to live a life of poverty among the least of her brothers and sisters.  Suzie shared with me her message. She never takes food from us…but gives of her smile and herself.  She shared that Thanksgiving on the street was “too much blessing” as there was an abundance of people sharing their food and blessings with the others.  She shared, “People here hate me”.  “Why?” Suzie asked.  “Because I sing and pray all day, but I’m okay with the fact that they hate me…because they hated our Lord first.”  She was comfortable in knowing that the hatred was coming from a place of not understanding.  She is there to share her inner joy with those less fortunate giving all she can of herself to them.  Like I said, she never takes food for herself, but what she will always take is a warm hug from us, her “sistahs.” She’s definitely got the JOY. 

If you are blessed with a family, you know the joy that comes from having them around.  When we go out to the streets, those of us who have been doing this for years now feel this same joy. We go out to visit our extended family.   We hear their stories – about careers that never took off, rent payments that couldn’t be met, family struggles, illness and no insurance, debt.  They are like our family, no different than any of us except for the fact that they lack the support systems that we have been blessed with.  Think about it.  If we didn’t have family or our church to lean on in these difficult times, how many of us are just one paycheck from living on the street?  There but for the Grace of God, go I.  And just like our family, they appreciate being cared about.  Not just “Here’s a cup of soup. Here's a frisbee,” but “Hey, how’ve you been?  How was your month? Are you feeling better?”  It’s not about charity, it’s about love.  And “BEING THE LIGHT and of Christ, being the vehicle for God’s love.

If any of you out there are interested in starting your own homeless outreach with your friends, family, organization but don’t know where to start, please contact me:anush@pomegranateandeye.com and I can give you some logistics help.

Some of our local radio stations have been playing Christmas Carols since Thanksgiving.  Personally, I love it (even though it’s driving my coworkers crazy).  I’m sending out Tidings of Comfort and Joy for this Christmas and well into the new year….Comfort and Joy, but extra heavy on the Joy!

Imagine Being Invisible

Imagine what it would be like to be invisible. You would sit quietly, or not so quietly, and people would walk by not acknowledging your presence. And then what about when you spoke to them. Obviously, they would hear you, but they would ignore you...and pretend that they hadn't heard you.

This is what life is like for most of our homeless population on the streets of Los Angeles. Our monthly outreach to the Skid Row area of L.A., with our group, In His Shoes, has shed a different perspective for me on the population on the streets. With the economic downturn, there are more and more people on the street. Not just men, but women...families. I often think that we are all just a paycheck away from the street if it weren't for our support systems, be they family, friends, church.

Not all who are living on the street are "crazy", "mental patients", or "social deviants." I have met many types. For the four years that we have been doing our monthly outreach in Los Angeles, I have met the "regulars" as well as those who are in transition. From what I see, there are 4 different types on the street.

1. There are those that live there and LIKE living there. They are usually men in their 30's and 40's who thrive on the environment, seeing their friends on a day-to-day basis. They may be living in Single Room Occupancy apartments with very low rent, but hardly have enough for food.
2. The mentally challenged. There are those that have mental issues, or that have drug-related problems and they cannot function in a "normal" society
3. The newly homeless. This includes those that have newly lost everything, their jobs and homes. They are the ones that are trying hard to get off the streets, trying to make the best of the programs that are out there. But the programs are so impacted that they may or may not get the help that they need.
4. Those that are living in the shelters but don't have the ability to provide for themselves and therefore end up begging for food and clothing on the street.

I suppose what sparked this writing is a conversation that I had recently with Bob, one of my homeless friends. I see Bob on a daily basis as I walk to my car on Figueroa. Bob is disabled, in a wheelchair with one leg only. He is the kindest, gentlest and most positive soul. As passersby walk to their destinations, Bob sits there, her cup for donations on the sidewalk. He does not beg, but the cup is there. Instead he greets people, compliments them on their clothing, discusses the sporting events that happened, yet as I approach I notice that there are not many that even make eye contact with Bob. And I started wondering what that would feel like, to be a "non-person." I imagine it would disheartening, if not incredibly lonely.
A couple months ago, I noticed that Bob was wearing glasses. I asked him about it. "A couple months ago, some people took me to Costco to get my eyes checked. They ordered glasses for me, but I wasn't able to go there to pick them up." They picked them up for me and now I can see. I asked him, 'So now that you can see all of us, tell me, are we as beautiful and handsome as you always tell us we are? I mean, now that you can see." He laughed and said, "Everyone is beautiful. I love Los Angeles. I'm blesed to be here."
A couple months ago, I overheard Bob tell someone that his birthday was coming up. When I asked him, he told me his birthday was on December 7 - Pearl Harbor Day. He was going to be 53. As the weeks went by, Bob referenced his upcoming birthday a few times to me. I told him that I had the date in mind - December 7. Bob's birthday was two days ago. As I wished him happy birthday on my way to the car, and handed him a bad with his birthday gift (a pack of underwear that he had asked for), he said something to me that I will not forget. I wanted to share it with you.
After thanking me for the gift, he said, "You always remember my name. And I appreciate that, ma'am. You know who I am." I can't forget this. Our homeless brothers and sisters are people, just like you and I. They are the children of fathers and mothers. They are the brothers and sisters of families. Those families may or may not know where they are, or care about them. But this doesn't discount the fact that they are human beings with needs, fears, hopes and dreams like all of us. They just lack the support systems that we so readily enjoy. They have names and birthdays.

Happy Birthday to Bob. May your life be filled with the beauty and goodness that you so readily see in all of us.

Here's what you can donate to the homeless in your community

It's often difficult to know what to give to the homeless. I hear people tell me they don't want to give money because they fear the person will use it for alcohol or drugs. That may or may not be the case, however, if you would prefer to give items to the homeless in your community, here are some suggestions that I find are asked for on a regular basis on our homeless outreach.

• Socks
• Blankets/Sleeping Bags
• Toiletries (the little bottles from hotels are a great size for the homeless)
• Towels
• Sweatshirts, Sweatpants or Jeans
• Shoes

Conversations about Underwear on Figueroa

About a month or so ago, I was heading toward my car on Figueroa after finishing up at work.  As usual, Bob was in his spot, sitting in his wheelchair, he greeted the passers-by with "Your hair looks nice," "What a game last night, huh?", and "I like your earrings."  I would say about 50% don't even make eye contact.  That's pretty good considering most homeless people on the street.  Bob is different.  He's likeable.  Very even tempered, and very complimentary.  That's his schtick.  That's Bob.  On that day, he was asking someone if they had seen Puss n' Boots.  He said that he thought it was a funny film and recommended that this man take his son to see the film.  "My son is 18.  He's not going to sit through Puss n' Boots."  To which Bob replied, "Well, I'm going to be 53, and I sat through it...and really liked it!"  At that time, I was approaching, and he starting asking me if I had seen the movie.  I told him I hadn't, but asked him when his upcoming birthday was having overheard his conversation.

"December 7!  I was born on Pearl Harbor Day,1958."  So I remembered.  For the past 6 weeks or so, every once in a while Bob would mention that he had an upcoming birthday, to which I'd say, "I know. Pearl Harbor Day, 1958."  Everytime I say this, Bob says, "Aw, ma'am...you remembered my birthday."  I've told Bob my name, but he calls me "ma'am" which I would hate from anyone else, but from Bob, it's okay. 

So yesterday as I passed Bob, I asked him what he needed for his birthday.  "Aw, ma'am, you remembered!...Well, I could use some pants, but I know a couple people that said they would get me some."  I asked about food thinking I could get him a gift card to Corner Bakery (I know he likes their chili).    But he said, "no, I have enough food...I get so much from people going by that sometimes I have to give it away."  So that was out.  Then he said, "Ma'am?  I could actually use some underwear though."  I said okay, happy to have a definite gift idea.  And then there I was.  On Figueroa, discussing underwear with Bob.  What kind?  Boxers?  Tighty whiteys?  What size?  And it struck me as funny as I was walking away because I was having this conversation about something somewhat intimate with Bob who is just really an acquaintance...but an acquaintance in need of underwear.  That evening, in Costco, I told my husband that I was picking up underwear for Bob.  "Who's Bob?" he asked.  "Bob, my friend in the wheelchair."  "Oh, okay."  Neddy know I have a soft spot for the homeless.    

Bob is 53 today.  It's Pearl Harbor day.  He has a long gray beard, long gray hair tied back in a pony tail.  He has one leg and sits in a wheelchair with all his belongings tied to it.   He has soft green eyes, and would actually be a handsome man if he wasn't so unkempt.  He's about the most positive man I've met.  Despite the adversity, he sits there every day as the world walks by, talking to whomever will carry a conversation with him.  When I ask, "How are you today, Bob."  He says, "Keepin' positive!  God is good."  He has every  reason to think the opposite.  Just last week when it got to be so chilly, I asked him where he goes at night.  He said that last night he spent the night on the floor of his friend's bathroom, and in his positive way said, "but it was indoors and out of the cold!"  That's how Bob is.  Always positive.

As I approached him today, he was talking to another homeless man who was standing close by.    I watched as Bob counted out money from his cup and gave it to the man.   The man looked at me and said, "I'm hungry and just need some money for food...for a burrito."  Bob was sharing his money with him, and I gave him the rest.  I've seen this many times before on our homeless outreach.  The sense of community and belonging of the homeless toward one another.  After the man had left, I handed Bob the bag with his gift.  I had wrapped his underwear six-pack in colorful paper and added a card.  Bob looked inside the bag.  "Aw ma'am, you remembered my birthday...and you even wrapped my present...and there's a card too?  And you always remember my name.  I appreciate that, ma'am, that you know my name." 

Makes you think, doesn't it?    The little things are what matter.  To someone who is "invisible" to the general populace, having someone know/remember your name is a big deal.  Having someone even acknowledge your presence is special.  And I suppose having them remember your birthday is just icing on the cake! 

Happy Birthday Bob.  May your life be filled with the beauty that you so easily see in all of us!