Two days ago, hubs finally found the time to go jogging in the morning again. Despite still being deprived from sleep, overall, he said he felt he needed to jog because it was what kept him going through the stressful days before when he'd be lucky to get three hours of sleep each day due to problems with installations at work.
So he went jogging at nearby Plaza Dilao. He said one good thing about the colder mornings is that there were less people sleeping on the cold sidewalks he passes on his way to the plaza. Still, he was appalled to see a mother sleeping with a 5-month old baby on the cold grass with nothing to really to keep the baby warm.
He told himself he'd jog first before approaching them and he planned to ask them to wait for him while he goes home to get whatever he can to give for the child's use, whether old or new. But before he was through, the woman has woken up, left her baby with another couple and then came back, leading a frail, old, blind man.
Part of a syndicate, for sure.
When hubs was telling me about this, he was really bothered and told me he really vows to work hard so we'd never come to that. Kind of overly-dramatic to think we have parents with homes where we can always squat for free, hehe. But in all honesty, I grew up thinking similarly. It took a great deal for MY own parents to put themselves through school and get good jobs and invest their money in properties. I grew up never having to worry about whether i'd eat or where we'd live next or if I can ever go to school... so I vowed I wouldn't make decisions that would land me in the slums. The fact that I am virtually unemployed is beside the point, as I did marry someone who is.
Then again, when you think about it, hard times can hit anyone at any time. With Ondoy's anniversary coming up, this couldn't be more true. So who's to really say how little or great the distance is between comfortable living and life in the streets?
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Anyway, I told hubs that some people were asking for help also, victims of a fire in Navotas who were living at their relatives' here. I told him about having to give a small amount of money because I was too lazy then to think of what goods we can give away. Plus, I have just gone through our closets and already gave old stuff to be brought and given away in Bicol. Hubs reminded me we really shouldn't give money to people like that but yes, we should never turn them away. Now, I should remember to ask for such people to maybe come back after some time while I go through our stuff for things they may be able to use, and things I can part with. It's the decent thing to do.
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Hubs said he realized he wants to help people like them... but that he also has conditions for helping. Like... it didn't occur to him to bring the mother and child along with him to our home, and true enough, when he realized they were part of a syndicate, he felt validated.
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I've just packed the biggest of the infant clothes returned to me by my cousin-in-law and two onesies and three big cloth diapers. They were Yakee's old things that I decided were already too worn for Yamee's use (having been used by 3 babies already).
Then I also packed three hooded blankets/towels that my parents were given before that I kept. These are pink and purple, for girls, and I held onto them hoping my next baby would be a girl. Now, I guess, it was part of God's master plan that I should keep those but that I should also have another boy so I can give them away.
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"Blessings Only Come to Those Who Notice," Jean Houston said. I say a prayer of thanks with Yakee every night, teaching him the value of prayer and awareness of his blessings throughout the day. It's really nice hearing him think back to things he ate and did during the day that he thanks Papa Jesus for. But I just realized that there's still room for improvement in me, in us, and we could do with bigger grateful hearts.
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