Sadness

I feel sad when I see people begging outside the supermarket. I don't always feel like giving them my hard-earned coins but then when I reflect as I start up my car, I realize that these unfortunate people would certainly not be begging outside in the often cold and damp weather if they could get work or a job somewhere. One day I even gave some of my groceries to an unshaven guy who looked like he hadn't known the warmth of a home or a family for a long time...

I read "The forgotten ones" here on the site about old-aged people and again, it is sad to know that when people reach THAT age, they are put aside and considered as "old rags". I knew neither my maternal nor my paternal grandparents but I have known some very wise and entertaining "older" people and their experience is so valuable and interesting, if only we would listen and learn from them...In French they call old people "le troisième age" which translated means the "third age" which is so much more gentle and soft than "oldies"!!!
I believe that in order to be happy we need to experience sadness and to appreciate those rays of sun when they do shine down on us.