mepastormike

I can't sleep. Ever have one of those nights? My mind is wide awake and my eyes are not tired... all of this and without caffeine, go figure!
I had one of those frozen in time moments again this evening. I was on my way to a meeting at the Salvation Army around 6:45 PM. As I drove north on Michigan Avenue I past a young boy; I'm guessing about the age of 10. The boy was standing on the sidewalk with his bike (the kickstand held up the bike). On the sidewalk next to the boy's feet was a dark green backpack that looked as though it was packed full of something. Whatever was in the backpack was obviously heavy to the boy. He would attempt to pick it up only to drop it back to the ground after only lifting it a few inches. He tried to lift it about 3 times in quick succession... but each time it fell to the ground. I looked his way just as I was about to pass him and the expression on his face was one of exhaustion and frustration. He tilted his head slightly back as his shoulders droopped. After a very brief pause he tried yet again and managed to get the backpack about a foot off the ground... It was then I noticed what he was trying to do; he wanted to set the backpack on his bike seat. Yet again the backpack fell to the ground. I continued to watch the boy from a glance in my rear view mirror. He faded from my view still trying to lift his heavy load.
Now, why didn't I stop to help? I had some place to be, some agenda of mine to attend to. It was important, I was needed at this meeting. Maybe what I saw was not what I thought at all... perhaps I had it all wrong. Could it be that I was worried about what others would think... how would it look for a strange man going up to a young boy on the street. The boy probably didn't really need help... by the time I would have stopped and got back there to him, he would have already had it. Someone else was bound to help anyway. It really was not my responsibility... I really didn't want to get involved. Besides, just about 100 feet ahead of the boy was a grown man on a bike that looked back toward the boy. Never mind that he didn't stop and actually rode across the street to the other side. I mean... this was probably the boys Dad. Why would a Dad do something like that to his son anyway? Even if he wasn't the boys Dad he must have rode right past this young boy... why didn't he stop to help. He would have been the best one to do something about the situation. There... I did it... I've made myself feel better by passing the blame of my neglect to someone else. Not really!
My meeting at the Salvation Army was about the start up of this season's mobile shelter for Livingston County. We don't have a homeless shelter, as such. Many churches in the area open their doors to work with the Salvation Army to provide shelter to the homeless in our area. Each church house and feed the homeless for a week at a time from October-April. There is a real need here. But really... what could I or our little church do? Oh no... here we go again!