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Two Ways to Spread Light
The power of sharing our stories
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” — Edith Wharton
COVID -19 shutdowns haven’t really hurt me; I didn’t have a job anyway. So, when Congress was debating their pathetic $600 relief payments, I promised I would donate mine to people who needed it more. I planned to give half to homeless people in my home of San Francisco and half to hungry refugees in other countries.
Problem was, I had no idea how to get money to homeless people. Because of disability, I don’t get out much, and the idea of going down the street in a wheelchair handing out $20 bills seemed uncomfortable and possibly dangerous.
Then a homeless Facebook friend named Shelby alerted me to the idea of giving out gift cards from places like Target or Subway. People could use them for socks, soap, food or whatever they wanted. I asked him if he could distribute the cards for me, and he said OK; just mail them to him. A group of his friends were assembling hygiene packages for homeless encampments that weekend.
So on Wednesday, I went to a local Target to buy gift cards. Because I couldn’t physically reach the cards, I asked one of the store staff for help. He was happy to get me some, but then he asked a question I couldn’t answer. “Do you want Happy Birthday or Congratulations, or what?”
I told him it didn’t matter what the cards said, as I was just planning to give them to homeless people. Some shoppers must have heard me. As the clerk was ringing up the cards, a woman in her 40’s pressed a $20 bill into my hand saying, “That’s a great idea.” Then an older man did the same thing and all of a sudden, I had $40 more than I expected. I bought two more cards.
The experience felt really good. When Shelby texted that he had received the cards and given them out, I texted back this Target story. He said it warmed his heart to hear, to be reminded that most people want to help. He told me how pleased the people he had visited were for the hygiene kits with the cards in them.
The next time I went out that week was to the Farmers’ Market at Civic Center. I told my friend…
