There are expressions of love that I am so touched by. People living in poverty welcoming strangers into their home, sharing a meal, or giving of themselves to aid someone. That touches my heart. I think, wow. If I had less, would I be more generous?
A transient couple I met and counseled for months, was staying with relatives in a rough apartment complex. Before they relocated again, in search of work, they came to my office to say their goodbyes. After many hugs, the gentleman took out of his pocket a disposable pen. It was his farewell gift for the help I had given them, and the friendship I'd offered.
Through the years, I've thought about their generosity. In the U.S., the gift of a cheap pen for services offered might be laughed at, but to the undocumented immigrant couple, it had precious value.
It's possible that I was touched by the gift, because I'm an immigrant, too. Although I did not come to the United States impoverished, I am able to empathize with their struggles. Or, perhaps It's because I'm a writer and an artist, whose favorite tool is a pen.
Do you have a love story to tell?
In some impoverished places, something as simple as a pen is a gift well received. |