Elayne Griffith's Blog, page 8

How to become an author

While highly caffeinated: A goofy little cartoon I scribbled out ;-)

Thank You Reader/Followers/Fans!

This video is dedicated to everyone who has read (or will read) Sapphire. Without you, reader, my dreams and goals would only be a figment of my imagination. You’re awesome! :D

A True Christmas Story

Yesterday I was slowly creeping towards a stop sign in the shopping center when I saw an older woman holding a sign that said, “Laid off! Will work for $. Please help!” I was about to drive past when I decided to pull into the parking lot near her. I parked, got out of my car, and walked up to her.

“Here,” I said, “I can’t give you work but I can give you $10.”

She looked shocked and tried to deny my money saying that she would like to earn money not just take it, but I was persistent. She humbly took it and told me that she had been laid off and lost all of her finances from being hospitalized with a terrible Ecoli infection. Rent was coming up and she was going to be evicted if she couldn’t find work.

I asked why she wasn’t spending all her time just filling out applications to which she laughed and replied, “Oh I’ve applied to 37 jobs so far, but I actually get more odd jobs from holding the sign, Go figure!”

I gave her a hug and wished her luck then went back to my car. As I pulled back into the creeping line and came up to her again, she suddenly waved her arms for me to stop!

I rolled down my window and there were tears in her eyes.

“You won’t believe this!” she said. And it was true, I felt tears come to my eyes as she explained why she was crying.

A man, further back in the long line of cars, had witnessed our exchange and as he drove past her he rolled down his window. He was so touched by what he’d seen that he handed her a $50 bill to which she nearly fainted. As I drove away she blessed me over and over again while tears ran down her cheeks.

I was nearly crying myself because I have been there, laid off and completely broke. The only reason I had never been holding a sign was because of my amazing network of supportive friends and family. I was overwhelmed with gratitude, and hoped others would give the poor woman a helping hand as well.

I had given her the very last of my own money (having spent it all on presents and gas), but I hadn’t just given away $10, I’d given away kindness and hope and received a truly human moment.

I’m totally crying just writing about this again, lol ;)

Merry Christmas everyone! May it be full of joy, generosity, and loved ones