Warning this blog will be different from my usual! You have been warned.
During the holy month of Ramadhan, which passed a couple of weeks ago, I had met a Muslim brother from Alabama. Most of the time our interactions consisted of helping him with something or passing a message on for him. But recently I got the chance to really have a good conversation with him and that conversation has resulted in me writing the blog your reading now.
Before I tell about what I leaned about him from the conversation we had, lemme give you a little background on him. As I stated before he is originally from Alabama, he is currently homeless here in Detroit and sometimes stays at some kind of shelter. But I met him at the Mosque.
While talking with him I found out that he used to have a job and that he used to be trucker. That he never used to be in a situation where he had to ask for money. I asked what happened to his trucking job and he told me that when the economy got bad, he got let go form his job. He also told me about one time in particular that he asked a guy for money. The guy gave him a dollar and told him to buy a banana. After telling me that he said "You know how humiliated I felt, I never used to have to ask anybody for nothing".
Hearing this story made me think. To me it hit home. Don't get me wrong I never looked down on homeless people because its not the way I was raised but to get the chance to hear one's story about what happened to him it just really hit home for me. Y'know, if ever talked to this guy its like talking to a regular person! During the course of our conversation we even joked a bit, shared some laughs. Its so crazy to see someone like this living on the street! He knows Qur'an he can read and write. Is it wrong of me to think: "why is this person living on the street, having to ask for money?" As much as I tend to be a rational guy, I'm still human and I feel like it's just not fair that this a coherent guy like him would be in these situation. And it makes me wonder, "how many more people of sound mind and body are in his situation?"
But also it makes me feel more grateful to Allah for what I have. What makes me so special!? That could be me out there at least temporarily! So I guess this is my little rant or self-reflection if you will. Till next time.
Peace
Zen Silence
During the holy month of Ramadhan, which passed a couple of weeks ago, I had met a Muslim brother from Alabama. Most of the time our interactions consisted of helping him with something or passing a message on for him. But recently I got the chance to really have a good conversation with him and that conversation has resulted in me writing the blog your reading now.
Before I tell about what I leaned about him from the conversation we had, lemme give you a little background on him. As I stated before he is originally from Alabama, he is currently homeless here in Detroit and sometimes stays at some kind of shelter. But I met him at the Mosque.
While talking with him I found out that he used to have a job and that he used to be trucker. That he never used to be in a situation where he had to ask for money. I asked what happened to his trucking job and he told me that when the economy got bad, he got let go form his job. He also told me about one time in particular that he asked a guy for money. The guy gave him a dollar and told him to buy a banana. After telling me that he said "You know how humiliated I felt, I never used to have to ask anybody for nothing".
Hearing this story made me think. To me it hit home. Don't get me wrong I never looked down on homeless people because its not the way I was raised but to get the chance to hear one's story about what happened to him it just really hit home for me. Y'know, if ever talked to this guy its like talking to a regular person! During the course of our conversation we even joked a bit, shared some laughs. Its so crazy to see someone like this living on the street! He knows Qur'an he can read and write. Is it wrong of me to think: "why is this person living on the street, having to ask for money?" As much as I tend to be a rational guy, I'm still human and I feel like it's just not fair that this a coherent guy like him would be in these situation. And it makes me wonder, "how many more people of sound mind and body are in his situation?"
But also it makes me feel more grateful to Allah for what I have. What makes me so special!? That could be me out there at least temporarily! So I guess this is my little rant or self-reflection if you will. Till next time.
Peace
Zen Silence