The Flying J – for anyone who doesn’t know, it’s a truck stop/gas station, travel plaza etc… We stopped here last night for the night (as we missed the prior 3 rest areas) … DON’T ASK 😉 !!!
Truckers can park here for the night, but as we got here late, the spots were taken. The security guard allowed us to park elsewhere in the parking lot. Here we met ‘Level 1’… a group of people, some families, who live here at the Flying J in their cars. We were put over here, as ‘Level 1’ is a much easier crowd as opposed to ‘Level 2’, elsewhere in the lot. The levels were explained to us by the security guard. The property owner refuses to kick them out, as this is now their home. How wonderful is that? Inspiring compassion we don’t see very often any more. Just wonderful.
As we were trying to park, we received assistance from and met a man named ‘Leonard’. Les chatted with him for a bit and then decided he’d love to buy him a coffee and get to know him. I’m so glad he did. Leonard is a ‘special needs’ teacher in the education system here in Texas, who was recently laid off. And as a result, here he is. Who we met was a man entitled to bitterness and anger, self pity and everything else you can imagine to go along with his situation. But that is not who Leonard is. Leonard is a man who still has faith and the compassion to help a total stranger. He is a brilliant, interesting man.
Before going to bed last night, Les and I sat outside, looking at all the cars and questioning how circumstances like this can happen so vastly in communities everywhere. Of course we all know there are homeless people who choose their circumstances, usually drugs, who end up losing everything as a result. Who refuse help when offered, assistance when given because the almighty drug is better. But then we meet people who don’t choose this … it happens to them. We see ignorance for these people everyday, as people walk by and turn their noses up or make snide comments under their breath. Ignorance because no one bothers to take a moment. Shame on us.
We wondered last night what happened to the days when communties rallied around each other in times of need or despair? Gone, obviously. So sadly gone.
Today’s society … an entitled society! Created by the need to always be one step ahead, always have better and know more. Resulting in losing touch with our neighbors struggles and fellow mans hardships. Again, shame on us.
We woke up this morning to a note stuck on the door. It was from Leonard. Wishing us the best on our travels, along with a few verses. Now, ya’ll who know me know that me n’ the man upstairs have a few issues so faith is not my strong suit, but I will forever cherish this note.
Last night, something rare happened … I met someone that I truly admire (and that don’t happen very often) 😉 Thank-you Leonard, for allowing us to know you 🙂 Best wishes n’ love ♥ I hope we have the opportunity to meet again.
Now, for all of you who think that you are ‘better than this’, that ‘this can never happen to you’ or that ‘these people are beneath you’ … give your head a shake and come down off your high horse. You never know what can happen … this can be you in the future and I hope for your sake that you encounter people with a different attitude than yours. That’s all.
uyvs ~ xoxo ♥
Very well said my dear daughter, you are one of a kind, a very special kind!!!!