Burdens

I was on I-95 Wednesday morning. At exit 17, going north when I saw a man walking towards traffic on the shoulder of the road. I thought, "Wow, he should be on the South bound side, hitch-hiking." As I got closer, I thought he was a very old man because he was stooped a bit as he walked, sort of dragging himself along.

But he wasn't. He had on dirty clothes with a faded baseball cap on his head. Dark hair bushed out around the cap and his face was tanned deeply but smooth. The man wasn't past 40 if he was that old. But he walked like a man with a heavy burden and in no hurry to get to his destination.

On his back was a backpack and in his arms he carried something wrapped in a worn cloth and knotted at the top. Probably all his belongings. Tears welled in my eyes as I thought to myself, "This is truly a homeless man."

I didn't stop to help. I know I should have but I had no money on me...just an ATM card and my MasterCard. I had no food with me. No other form of relief.. so I did the only thing I could do, I said a prayer for him, asking God to relieve some of his burden, because it looked so heavy to carry.

Since then, I've said many prayers for this man whom I don't know and have no idea of who he is. But his image will stay with me for a long time... his face was so haunted and absent of anything except a weary tiredness...one that I hope I never experience.