I’m just going to go ahead and say it – even if some don’t agree.
IHOP!
My kids and I love IHOP.
Living in Minnesota for so long, we didn’t have one close to us. It feels so good to be back in Illinois, and to be within minutes of an IHOP again.
Breakfast there? Yes, please. Lunch / Dinner? Sure.
No matter what time of day you go, it’s usually always busy, and for good reasons.
I could also say Olive Garden, TBK, and Central Gyros are some of my favs in IL. / Chicago as well. Ohhhhhhhh……..and let me not forget Panda Express.
Okay. I know I was probably only supposed to say one, but I just can’t. 😊
I know these are simple and basic, but when you live in a small town for years – that has almost nothing in it or the nearest bigger city, and you move to an even bigger city or back home to it – it makes you appreciate even the littlest things. ❤️
With that being said……………..
Yesterday, my daughter and I went to the dollar store, and then we traveled over to Tony’s a few blocks down. That’s another place we’ve missed while living in Minnesota.
Tony’s has almost everything you can think of – including Hispanic foods, and candies – which is what my daughter was looking for. We don’t have that in Minnesota, so it made us and our hearts smile to walk back into a Tony’s.
I was at my brother’s place and he didn’t have dinner figured out and I decided to just go grab a few pizzas because it’s his weekend with his kids (my nephews), and what kid doesn’t like pizza, right?
I grabbed Garlic bread to go with it, milk (that my daughter asked for because she only drinks the blue cap milk), a few cases of sodas, and a few other things.
Upon walking to the cash register – I saw this:
I was so damn thrilled and I had to grab one, as my daughter grabbed her Dubai Chocolate bar.
Now, if only the weather went along with this.
I’m a little excited it’s almost Pumpkin season everywhere, and almost Autumn. I love Autumn, and everything that comes with it.
As we were loading groceries, a man came walking over to us, grabbed the cases of sodas from under the cart, and handed them to us to load. He was trying to help, and I felt awful that I didn’t have any cash on me. I told him I didn’t carry cash, and he told me he just wanted to help, and enjoys helping others.
I thanked him and he thanked me for not ignoring him like almost everyone else does, or telling him to “get the hell away”. He said most people tell him they don’t need help, and just want him to leave them alone.
I told him how sorry I was that people are so rude, and that not everyone is like that.
It broke my heart when he said, “It’s okay. Maybe I’ll be dead in the morning. I’ve been wanting to die, and God keeps waking me up”. I begged him not to talk like that and I told him there’s a reason God is waking him up every day, but he didn’t want to hear that and kept saying he’s better off gone, and that he doesn’t want to be on this earth anymore. He continued to say nobody cares, and I let him know I do.
He said he’s been homeless for years now, living on the streets. He said his dad died many years back and that’s when everything changed, and that his mom sold the house he grew up in without even telling him or talking to him first. He told me he’s 59, and I was surprised because he looked good for 59.
I told him that, and it seemed like his eyes lit up when he heard that and asked, “Really?”. It seemed like he had a little sparkle in his eyes and for the first time since he came up to us, he smiled a bit and looked up. He had his head down most of the time he was talking to us, and telling us a little about his life.
When we were done loading groceries, he grabbed the cart and went to put it back.
He said one last time that he hopes to die soon, and I asked if I could pray with him or for him. He told me he doesn’t believe in that anymore, and I told him if he didn’t want to pray, I would pray for him. He told me not to do that, and said he’s been praying for years and it never works.
He thanked me one more time for not telling him to get the hell away from me and not being rude to him – as he walked away.
I wish I had cash on me. I offered him a soda, but he didn’t want it.
I wish there was more I could do for him yesterday.
I couldn’t stop thinking about him last night, and I feel so bad that I didn’t even ask him what his name was.
The next time I go back to Tony’s, I plan to have cash on me just in case we run into him again.
I did pray for him last night and asked God to just protect him, be with him, and let him find his way back to God. I asked God to put kind people in his path who may help him want to live again.
I thought about starting a Gofundme for him, but I don’t even know who he is or where he can be found if he’s roaming the streets.
My goodness. If you see a homeless person and they talk to you, it’s not hard to smile, say hello and just be kind! It’s not hard to give them a few bucks, let them help you load groceries, or for you to just offer what you can – even if it’s a kind word.
It doesn’t take much to just be a good human being to other human beings.
I’m so disappointed in whatever people have been rude to this man, and to other people in general.
One of my favorite songs is:
I feel like if more people were a lot kinder and more helpful to the underdog (those who have nothing, those who are hopeless, depressed, need people to care) – there would be a lot less suicides and a lot more people who actually want to stay another day.
If nobody told you lately – I love you. You matter. You’re amazing!
Xoxo.
😊Shel😊