Day 17... Unconditional

I took the day off to spend time with my mum as she and my dad were up for the weekend.  We decided to go to Glasgow for the day, as my mum has never been.

The rain poured which meant the crowds were kept at bay, and it gave us the opportunity to browse at a leisurely pace.  My mum loved it, we stopped off for lunch and chatted non-stop - well my mum did anyway.  We joked on the way home that perhaps my act of kindness should be the fact that I listened to her talking non stop all day.  She told me all the family news along with her putting the world to rights 3 times over.  Well we both did actually.

I’d heard a song yesterday, which I think is the theme track to the new KFC advert.  The song is called One Big Family and it got me thinking about how important family is and the fact that we genuinely need people in our lives that care.  Care unconditionally. 

So when in Glasgow and later that day in Edinburgh I got asked off two separate homeless guys for money.  Normally I would always give what I had in change to anyone who asked, but today, for some reason I chose not too.  On the way back home, we talked about why I’d not given anything today, to those who asked.  Upon reflection the decision was actually quite simple and it all boiled down to the fact that both men who asked were smelling of alcohol and that put me off wanting to give money to them, in fear they’d both use the money on more alcohol.

I’m wasn’t trying to make a judgement but I suppose I did in some way as I didn’t give unconditionally, I chose not to give, as I had my own conditions, which were for both or either of the men not to spend their begging money on alcohol or worst things such as drugs.

And then I felt awful, for not being generous and giving the spare change to those guys, when I had it in my purse.  But more to the point I felt bad because I had judged in a way that actually goes against my grain.  For the rest of the evening in between, a family dinner and watching a movie I realise that unconditional help is what really matters and I know that most probably more than most.

So I’ve decided to give help unconditionally.  At the end of every day I’ll put any loose change I have into a pot, cup or pan, what ever it takes to hold the spare change, and I’ll save it up and when I have enough, which hopefully will be by Christmas, I’ll give it to the Salvation Army, for their ‘soup’ kitchens.

My spare change will be delivered unconditionally, just as it is supposed to be delivered.  A meal for those who need it will hopefully be enough, for one day at least but hopefully more?

£3.49 it’s a start.  An unconditional one at that!