Thoughts from Monday.

Sunday was for a long awaited trip to Root Down to brunch with the girls and sip on bottomless blood-orange mimosas.  A dangerous decision which ultimately led to me emptying my wallet on work-wear items from the Gap and Anthro.

I actually needed said (over-priced) items or so I reasoned with myself.

That is until this morning when I pulled up next to the old man who stands on the corner of my office building.

Religiously.

Every morning.

“Anything Helps, and God Bless” reads his sign. He stared at me with intensity, much as he always does. Or did he see through me? The girl who day after day finds it easier to concentrate on the stop light than the sad expression which haunts his face. The girl who has yet to give him a helping hand because she’s got plenty of her own bills to pay.

But then this sickening feeling of selfish guilt set it. How can I be so annoyed to be working on President’s day, when I am (happily) employed? How is it that I can so frivolously buy myself new clothes when I am so reluctant to give to people who really need it. (In all fairness, I did need the pancakes and champagne, but I digress…)

Tomorrow I am going to bring him Starbucks. And make a pledge to do one genuinely helpful thing for someone in need every week.

I think that’s what I really need.

[photo: Rootdown | 2.19.2012]