The Blanket

When I pulled into the alley to go into the parking garage at work, I glanced to my left because I saw a white blanket. Usually I see a few women in a huddle smoking but they were not out on this cold morning. Then I noticed a long lump under the blanket and realized it was someone sleeping in the small door way. My heart sank.

As I slowly drove into the parking garage, I questioned why my heart sank so fast and hard. I have seen numerous homeless people before- especially when I lived on the East Coast but today I felt different. My mind started racing about anything that I had in my car to go back and give the person. I only had a little change and no additional blanket in my trunk. I thought about my lunch for work but they would need a microwave to cook it. I thought I could take them a cup of coffee but they may get mad for me waking them up, plus several homeless people come in the lobby of my job and get free coffee. I realized there was nothing I could do.

So when I pulled into the parking slot on the 3rd level, I thanked God that it was not me laying in that doorway for whatever reason: drug or alcohol addiction, poor money management, loss of job, mental illness, a hardened heart toward God, or whatever. I thanked God that none of my family and friends are homeless and that they have excess and abundance. I thanked God that at least the person lying there had a blanket. It is about 35 degrees outside this morning. It is chilly in my office but I have a heater from a co-worker. I pray that God delivers that person from their current situation and that whoever was under that blanket seek God in their current situation.

Today I won't complain. I thanked God for answered prayers.