An Open Letter to Grand Junction About How to Treat the Homeless

The other day while driving home, I saw something that truly warmed my heart.

I was stopped at a light on North, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a homeless man sitting on the corner. He was approached by a woman and her young daughter with a burrito, which they then gave to the man. What happened next was remarkable.

The mother and daughter didn't walk away, but instead started a conversation with the man. It was such a nice example of a mother showing her daughter that the man wasn't just some bum on the side of the road, but a real-life person, with a personality, and a lifetime of stories.

This is the thing I'd love to see more and more. Sure, it's nice to give a buck or two to the less fortunate, but teaching our youth to respect everyone, no matter whether they're a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or a man with a scraggly beard who is down on his luck is so important.

I have a friend who tries to do this type of thing on a regular basis. Not only does he give the less fortunate members of his community a little something to eat or a couple of bucks, but he gets their story, and with their permission, tells it. You can find these stories on his Bear Necessities for Lost Souls Facebook page.

So, next time you see a homeless person on the corner, I would ask that you take a second to recognize that the person has a story, a family, and should be treated as such, regardless of his or her economic situation.

I'd like to thank the woman I saw the other day for opening my eyes and making me think.