It's happening again. I'm seeing these patterns reveal themselves in my life. I enjoy them so much because (whether you think it's a delusion or not) they make me believe that there is a reason and a purpose for the people, challenges, and events in my life. I like thinking that there is a reason and intelligence behind my struggles and my successes.
The pattern I'm seeing lately has to do with struggle and the issue of poverty. Now, I can't claim to know poverty. I know debt. I certainly understand being stuck. I have made about a dozen poor choices regarding my financial health in the past (though I defend at least one of them as being a proper choice of the heart). Here is the pattern so far:
1. Steinbeck is my favorite author. I was doing a general Internet search of Steinbeck (I can't remember what prompted it) and I found a quote about "poor people." Here it is: "If you're in trouble, or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones."
2. On Facebook, I saw the film of the experiment in which a supposedly homeless child was out on the street, and the only one who helped him was a legitimately homeless man. In the comments, I supplied the quote.
3. Yesterday, in a job interview, I was asked to explain why people are poor. Well, this is a near impossible question because there are so many reason why this could happen to a person. I thought about myself at the age of seventeen when I lost my parents. I was so, so fortunate that my parents were able to care for me financially beyond their deaths. If they hadn't, I can't imagine what I would have done. I thought about myself, in shock and grieving, barely able to complete high school. How could I have tackled high school, college, and a job??? I can't even imagine what would have happened to me.
So, why am I being challenged to think about poverty and injustice? I don't think it's a coincidence. I just don't. There must be a reason, and I'm going to keep my antennae extended and tuned in. I'll let you know what happens...
Here's another one:
The pattern I'm seeing lately has to do with struggle and the issue of poverty. Now, I can't claim to know poverty. I know debt. I certainly understand being stuck. I have made about a dozen poor choices regarding my financial health in the past (though I defend at least one of them as being a proper choice of the heart). Here is the pattern so far:
1. Steinbeck is my favorite author. I was doing a general Internet search of Steinbeck (I can't remember what prompted it) and I found a quote about "poor people." Here it is: "If you're in trouble, or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones."
2. On Facebook, I saw the film of the experiment in which a supposedly homeless child was out on the street, and the only one who helped him was a legitimately homeless man. In the comments, I supplied the quote.
3. Yesterday, in a job interview, I was asked to explain why people are poor. Well, this is a near impossible question because there are so many reason why this could happen to a person. I thought about myself at the age of seventeen when I lost my parents. I was so, so fortunate that my parents were able to care for me financially beyond their deaths. If they hadn't, I can't imagine what I would have done. I thought about myself, in shock and grieving, barely able to complete high school. How could I have tackled high school, college, and a job??? I can't even imagine what would have happened to me.
So, why am I being challenged to think about poverty and injustice? I don't think it's a coincidence. I just don't. There must be a reason, and I'm going to keep my antennae extended and tuned in. I'll let you know what happens...
Here's another one:
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