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Saturday, May 2, 2009

My guest post, posted here ;-)

Below is the text of my guest post yesterday for helpamotherout.org.

If you haven't been to see their site, they're doing lots of good work for moms and kids in need. Check them out and tell them tangobaby sent you.

;-)

***

Flowers are always a little more beautiful after the rain, don't you think?
This photo was taken in Golden Gate Park.

***

Two weeks ago today, something happened that changed my life forever.

I think it's a rare and magical thing to be able to look at a date on a calendar and think to yourself: Yes, on this day, I became a better person.

I'm just glad that date happened to me sooner than later.

***

Two weeks ago today, I passed by a young homeless woman on the streets of San Francisco, her eyes large and tear-filled. Holding a baby, with a small boy on one side of her and a little girl on the other, she needed $60 dollars for a motel room.

I walked by.

I often walk by people begging for money. We all do. We set up these automatic shields. If we gave away all of our money to everyone that asked us to, what would we have left?

The truth is that we might have even more than we gave. I would have never been able to say that to you over two weeks ago, but I can say it now.

***

The good news is that this time, I thought about the sight that I had seen, and thought that it was so terribly terribly wrong that I would not have been able to sleep had I not turned back. My protective bubble had burst.

And in so doing, returning to that woman and her children, a whole sad world opened to me. A world I have never encountered: a world of savage cruelty inflicted by someone bigger and stronger, someone who should have cared and protected but only harmed, with malice. But it's also a world of love and strength, the true measure of a woman's love for her family, who would do what she could for her children no matter how unsure the future seemed.

K and her children are a joy to be around. They are definitely a unit, bound by love, to each other. In this short span of two weeks, the world has reached out to help this family where a city could not. I am amazed at how the situation changes moment by moment.

I can only be inspired by the good will and love that people around the world, connected by electronic threads of compassion, have woven around this tiny family. Money, clothing, toys, this and more await this family. They are not out of the woods yet, by any means. They still need reliable shelter for months to come. But I am hopeful that their days of struggle and tears and cold nights have passed forever. If you can help, please do.

These children are our future. This mother is the only one they will ever have.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring.

With love,

Julie

4 comments:

Anonymous May 2, 2009 at 12:54 PM  

I gotta be honest, I'm a new follower of your blog, so I was not familiar with you when I first started reading your posts about this young woman, so I automatically assumed this was a sick scam for money. After seeing the news story, and reading more and more of your blog posts, I realize it was a very sad truth. I'm only sixteen, but I want to help. As soon as I'm done writing this I will head upstairs and beg my parents to make a donation. Even if I have to pay for it myself, I will find a way to get money to help this poor young women.

SE'LAH... May 2, 2009 at 1:36 PM  

Giving thanks for your voice.
For you, Julie.
To Kelaya and family
JAH will provide!

One Love.

*Thanks for the visit to my Necessary Room and for leaving such kind words Julie. I appreciate it.

Char May 3, 2009 at 2:17 PM  

beautiful post Julie - it is so wonderful to hear a real human story and though it is yet to be resolved, it is being heard.

Unknown May 4, 2009 at 2:34 AM  

I have no money yet...but I want to help...how ever I can, please let me know. I live fairly close. Driveable distance. I feel like finding your blog was a mission from god! I have to help you.