It was one lazy afternoon and i stood on a sidewalk hailing taxicabs when she popped out of nowhere. A clear plastic bag in one hand, she suddenly walked up to me and begged for alms. Her eyes were glassy and pleading as she spoke in a hushed tone. Her dry lips kept mouthing a word, but I didn’t understand a thing. in that moment, I did not have some loose change to spare.

I dug into my right side pocket in hope to find some, but unfortunately, it was empty. She patiently waited, with her open palm extended in front of me.

I shook my head, telling her I didn’t have any. She pleaded with puppy eyes, only to be disappointed. People started walking toward our direction, and so she turned away to approach them. But just the same, they just shook their heads and walked past her.

She was barefoot, with graying hair and in ragged clothes. Aged around early 50s, she could be anybody’s grandma. The sole of her feet burnt under the sweltering heat of the sun as she continued wandering on that side of the street.

I saw how her eyes lit up at the sight of more people passing our way. But most of them declined in giving her alms. The elderly looked like one of the loonies, clad in well-worn and dirty clothes.

I had to admit it. I’ve got a soft spot for the less fortunate. I could not stand the sight of them wasting away, wandering aimlessly. It was breaking my heart.

They don’t deserve such a sorry state. But the question is, why do they have to exist that way? Is that the purpose of their lives?

Aside from garbage that litter the streets, defective drainage system, shanties around corners of the business district, I also often see homeless people wandering around. Either some of them were begging for alms or digging into garbage bins to salvage some food to feed themselves. I am not singling out the Philippines cos such kinds of people also abound in other third world countries.

But the fact that they don’t live on a standard way of living, my heart bleeds easily for them. See, I’ve got a soft spot for those who seemed to have strayed from the normal way of life. and I don’t understand why this world have to be cruel with these people.

I mean, they aren’t lesser humans, are they? they did not even have a choice. they do not simply want the way they are or the way they have become, but they can’t do a thing. They are simply helpless.

Sometimes I ask God about this, but I can’t seem to find the answer anywhere. Maybe there are things that we can never understand and they ought to be left just like that.

But my heart bleeds, just the same.

his face lit up the way a child’s does upon receiving a present. hiding his excitement from a sheepish smile, he accepted the gift just the same and thanked me in a jiff.

it wasn’t much. the gift was simply a decent shirt bought from the department store in a mall wrapped up in a fancy Christmas wrapper. A simple present perfect for a simple folk who does his job in the best possible way he can.

he has been our water delivery boy for quite awhile. My apartment is in the fourth floor of the building and he carries the weight up to that level without any complaint. and aside from that, he never fails giving out a smile each time.

we have learned to appreciate the service he renders as a delivery man. and as a way of thanking him, we included him in our list last Christmas.

it is a simple joy that resides in their hearts that usually makes them smile. no matter who they are, we are glad we brought them the magic of Christmas somehow. it could not be any simpler than that. =)