My story is about how the homeless people are being treated unfairly.  A Security Officer shows kindness to a young man living on the streets.   He heard every word she said but he didn't respond, very few people ever talked to me. Living on the streets you learn to do whatever it takes and for him, it was not speaking to people. He started to move slowly, so as not to wouldn’t spook her. That was a lesson he learned from the streets. When you move too fast people assume you’re going to attack them or rob them. But people had nothing that he wanted, he just wanted to be left alone. And since he didn’t speak most people regarded him as being retarded just plain garbage. His name was Michael and he slept on the street because he was homeless. Most people never get close enough near him, and that was ok with for him. Michael continued to stir and she just stood there, waiting. She looked like someone's mother. She didn't speak to him out of fear as some did, but with concern and compassion. She was a security guard, he knew that from the dark brown patch on the sleeve of her light brown uniform shirt.Her eyes were dark brown, they had so much love and concern in them. She looked mature and carried herself with confidence. Her voice was softly filled with compassion. It was as if she only wanted him to be safe, not just gone out of her sight. Life was funny here it was early Tuesday morning, and Michael was lying on the hard-cold concrete floor, at the drive-thru bank. People wanted him gone, just to move on out of the way. But she was different, she had a concern for his safety. Michael thought she was someone's mother. A cold wind blew his way, the wind-raked over his dark brown wavy hair. That let Michael knew it was time to move on down the road. He began gathering up my stuff, an old dark green army blanket he used for cover. A black backpack he used to store a few of his belongings in. Michael also used his backpack as a pillar to rest my head on. Michael stood straight up and bent back a little to stretch out the kinks out of his back. She took a step backward to give him room to maneuver, her foot almost missed the curb. She quickly caught herself before she fell. Michael was thinking to myself, 'if she falls and hurts herself they will blame me.' Most of all he didn't want her to get hurt, she was after all someone mother. After he finished stretching, Michael slung his backpack over his shoulder and slowly began walking up the street. Leaving behind any traces of her, but he still thought, 'she must be someone’s mother.' Halfway up the street, Michael heard someone calling him, asking the question most people asked, ‘Do you have somewhere to go?’ He immediately turns around and saw her eyes, her deep brown eyes. Michael looks at her waiting, for something? Slowly he turns and began walking back up the street. Before Michael was out of earshot she calls out, "you know you can go to the Salvation Army." Like most homeless people living on the streets, Michael had been to every shelter in the city. And truth be told it's safer on the streets. So he just kept walking until he got to the corner of Market Street, the main downtown street. Michael was heading for Miller Park, another well-known place for people like him. But his thoughts remain on her, 'she must be somebody's mom.'As Michael continued on his way he thought about her waking me up, anyone else would have been a jerk about it. Because most people viewed the homeless as a nuisance and garbage. Michael took a quick glance backward and all he could see was a shadowy figure in the darkness. He figures she was on her way, checking the door for the downtown area. "Oh no," a thought occurred to him, 'Scott, she was going to run into Scott. ' Scott was not welcome among the homeless, he was just too crazy. Scott had problems and Scott didn't like people. The truth was Scott hated people, he blamed anyone and everyone. Scott had major anger issues. Scott blamed people for him being on the street. Something about his girlfriend who cheated on him with his best friend. And then it was the company that let him go after so many years of service. That he lost his job so he could no longer pay his mortgage. The final straw was the bank repossessed his house. And so all and all Scott blame everyone for what happened to him, his hatred of people was frightening. Scott had been thrown in jail more times than anyone could count. He considers a security guard like cops. The only good cop was a broken one, Scott would say. And every time they arrested Scott he made sure they regretted getting him, he fought like his life was on the line, Scott was messed up. Michael wondered about the nice security lady. “What if she tries to wake up Scott as she did for me?”He turned around and began to pick up my pace, he had to reach her before she tried to wake up Scott. “She’s somebody’s mother he couldn't let her wake up Scott.” Michael hurried up the main street, Scott usually slept in one of the store doorways. As he rounded the corner he saw an old grocery cart, 'it’s Scott's.' And then he saw a patrol car drive up, it had the same logo that she wore on her sleeve. The car pulled right in front of the store where the cart was, and the door swung open. She stepped out, looking over at Scott. As she stepped up on the sidewalk she reached in her holster and took out a big industrial flashlight. “Oh no Scott would assume it’s a weapon," Michael said with alarm in his voice. Michael knew that he had to act fast, his pulse began racing, and he could hear my heart beat faster. She stepped closer and bend down toward the figure sleeping, he screamed out as loud as he could,  "S T O P",,,,,

I often reflect back on past decisions and life choices.   And while I'm on that path I humbly go to God for his direction and guidance.  I've tried to live my life on my own terms and it never worked out, it pretty much blew up in my face.  So I realize I needed his hands to guide me down life's mysterious path.  One day I came to a story in the Bible and I realized that the woman at the well could of been any woman, she could of been Me.As I read about the woman at the well, I felt like I might have understood how she felt.  Here comes Jesus talking to her like a regular person, when most people didn't even want to be caught near her, but not Jesus.  He talked to her and not at her.  And she listened to him speak, what was she  thinking?"Here is a man telling me all these things."  I can only imagine how much stuff other men probably had told her, and yet she still listen.  She had heard it all before, and she wasn't ready to buy into his words.  Jesus talked as if he really cared, but could she believe it?  She was not about to be disappointed one more time.  But Jesus persisted, he wanted to capture her heart.  Jesus had come to set everyone free, even her.  How could she really believe it?  He spoke of living waters that she would never thirst again.  Why waste living waters on someone others had discarded?  Jesus came to demonstrate a kind of love she had never known.The Bible talks of being able to discern, but how can you do what you don't know?  When others treat you a certain way that becomes the norm.  So you expect the usual, and you're not looking for long term.  You began trying to find loopholes.  But with Jesus, there aren't any loopholes.  You see the woman at the well could have been anyone of us.  Any woman who has been beaten down in spirit, or who's heart has been broken.  We all suffer in believing in people, only for them to let us down.  Until someone unique comes in our lives and shows us what's been missing.  Shows us how to really live, and what dreams are made of, that happily ever after is not just a fairy tale. It's almost like Jesus is whispering your name.  He's talking about how much he loves you, and he's telling the angels to watch over you.   And the life you've lived is not in vain, neither was your suffering.Yes, we can relate to the woman at the well.  With every broken promise, with every broken heart, and with all the lies uttered to us.  We all have been there, and isn't it good to know we matter.  We matter to King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We matter and that's where real love begins. 

The way he looked at me sent chills down my spine.  I wanted to get married; I wanted my marriage proposal to be something, something I would never forget.  But not like this, this was just frightening.Lighting struck outside the small cabin in the woods, lightening up the sky.  It also lite up the dark damp basement I was now trapped in.  As I looked around there were boxes that was stacked up, and I was seated on this old wooden chair, with green paint peeling off.  In the distance I could hear something scratching inside the walls.  I had a fear of rats, but now I was more afraid of Dave than the rats.Me and Dave had been dating for a few months.  I really like Dave but I didn't  know that much about him.  Dave kept to himself, but he did tell me he was an orphan.   I never did ask too many question about his parents.  I figured when he was ready he would tell me.  Then he came and brought me to this quaint little cabin in the woods.This cabin was the perfect spot for a proposal, although now it seem more like a murder mystery.     Dave never did anything half way, that was one of the things l loved about him.  So when he came up with this getaway trip and not to tell anyone, I graciously accepted. I now sit on this raggedy wooden chair and Dave stands in front of me, at the bottom of the stairs.  Those stairs is my only way out,  but I had to get pass Dave.   Dave's eye's had a sort of glazed look to them, I had never seen this side of Dave.  He was quiet and strange, really strange. Sweat danced across my brow, a shock of revelation hit me full force.  Dave was not going to let me leave.  I began to wonder how slow and subtle this stranger had crept beside me, was I too blind to see it?  I really wanted to get married, all my friends was getting married.  And Dave answered my prayers or so I thought.Panic began to rise up inside me.   I looked over to Dave, and his head was tilted to one side.  Maybe he was contemplating what to do with me, or maybe he was having second thoughts.  So I stood up and casually  walked towards the steps, but Dave stepped in my way.  I tried to go around, and then Dave stepped in front of me.  Without him saying a word Dave pointed to the chair and I took my seat once again.  I realized if Dave was having second thoughts obviously he had come to a decision.  It was at this point that he reached into his jacket pocket, and tears slowly began to roll down my cheek.  I tried to fight my personal restraint, I tried to hide my fear.  But I could no longer maintain my composure, fear had taken hold of me.  For I knew I would never reach the outside of the cabin in the woods.  And my tomorrow would never come.  Lightening struck loud again outside the cabin and the rain began to fall heavy.  Any tracks that I had made would be washed away.  So I closed my eyes and held my breath, I could no longer wait, my fate was in Dave's hand.  A man I really didn't know at all.