It was a hot summer night. The streets were pretty active this Saturday night. Restaurants full, most people walking around in flip flops, and shorts. Old Town Pasadena is a great local location in SoCal to enjoy a diverse and fun scene. As I finished off a parfait desert, walking back to the parking garage after a great dinner with a lifelong friend, I stopped to a street guy sitting against the wall. Me and bobby spent about 10 minutes and just talked.
He started to share how about a month ago he was in an accident. He was walking down the street just a few blocks away, and a taxi hit him. 911 was called, and Bobby laid there on the cement, completely unconscious. He says he only remembers getting hit, and then waking up on a hospital stretcher being wheeled down the hall to a room. But nothing else.
He pointed to his forehead and showed me 2 stitches that still remained. He said he had to go back to the doctor to get the final one’s removed soon. He then pointed to the tree next to us, and the bike that was chained up, he said “A friend is letting me borrow the bike, so for that I’m grateful. You know, I do my best, to respect people. If I smoke I don’t do it on the street, and blow it in people’s faces. I thank God for every day I’m still alive. When I go to bed each night I simply say to God ‘thank you for another day of life.'”
I enjoyed talking with Bobby.
You might be thinking, like I also think when I talk to ‘Bobby’s’ or other street people/homeless, was he telling the truth?
You know, I could have done an investigation, and asked pressing questions to figure out the truth. But he wasn’t asking for money. In fact, he didn’t even have a cup out. He was just sitting beside a building. I came up to him, and handed him the change in my wallet, and just asked him how he was doing. He had no other motive, he already had some change. And he didn’t ask for money again.
Bobby, simply, wanted to talk. Like…all of us.
Bobby, simply, ended by saying “pray for me.”
This reminded me, that this is what we’re all looking for. Companionship, and for help (prayer).
We’re made for relationship. And we’re made for God. For HIm, to help us.
Bobby learned the secret we all seek for, it’s God we need. And friends, are good! We’re made for Him, and for each other.
Thanks Bobby, for your smile, and for being resilient. Till next time…
