The Good and the Ugly

I am in the midst of taking classes for my Bachelor's degree so that I can go into social work. One of the important aspects is to volunteer and help in the community to get a feel about what you might want to do once graduated. So today I went to Helping Hands and delivered food to needy seniors in our city. I should be selfless but I could not quite believe how good it made me feel. They are so grateful and it seems that many are lonely and like having the company as much as the food. This is something I am going to make time for quite often. I was surprised to see so many smiling faces so early in the morning to get the food to deliver. It made me feel that there is hope for mankind. And then to see the other side so soon after makes me think the earth would be better off without us. As I was on the way to make my last delivery there was a man with one leg by the traffic signal trying to maneuver in his wheelchair. He was asking for money. I usually will give if I have cash in my wallet but I was over too far to be able to reach him. A big Mercedes SUV pulled up beside him and this asshole threw a piece of garbage at the man. I was flabbergasted. Why be so cruel when one rim on his assholemobile could have fed that poor man for months. I wanted to pull him from the truck and give him a piece of my mind. But alas I just had to watch. I felt so helpless and horrible for the man. He has nothing and he is treated thusly by those who only care about themselves. I actually started to cry. So later in the day I was pulling out of a shopping center and there was another man asking for change and I pulled up and smiled at him and said I don't have much but here you go. I gave him some change that was in the glove box. He seemed so genuinely happy to get what little I had to give. I don't know if it was because he got some much needed money or that someone smiled and treated him like a person deserving of respect. I don't think it really matters.