Could You Honestly Walk Straight Past Them Without Looking Back?

He sits there every morning at the subway near the steps. His is middle aged but yet very frail. His weak body frame leans forward to keep him warm in the winter cold, while he sits there on the hard dirty floor. His clothes torn (and you know have never been washed), the smell of his dirty body fills the air. His hair is long and rough like his beard, his face unshaven. He is patient as he sits there leaning against the wall, hoping that someone might see him and leave him some coins or perhaps a note?

'How do these people just walk past me without turning back?' He thinks these thoughts everyday as he watches people walking by on their cell phones, fixing their hair, searching for their train tickets and discussing what they will be having for lunch. Thousands pass through their each day to and from work but only very few stop to help him.

Everyday on my way to work as I go through the subway, I see him sitting there alone in the corner with very few belongings and no home to go to. I know there are thousands of homeless people around the world but for some reason I feel different about this one. He is different! Each morning is the same for him, he sets up his little corner using the old cardboard box pieces he can find and holds onto his little chalk bag, he draws some of the most beautiful pictures but simple ones with his chalk like pink flowers (he longs to smell like that) or pictures of a house (one he has always wanted). He draws while he sits on the cold hard floor and says thank you softly when as one of very few people leaves him some change in his little tin tray. The tin is always almost bare and only very few silver coins line the bottom. They say anything helps but what about the silver coin you throw at him, is 20cents or a penny going to get him a meal or something to eat?

He is suffering and everyday I feel obliged to help him because I have been brought up to be a good person by helping others and I feel I should help him because I see he is trying to work for some money even if it is drawing pictures on cardboard. He has them there for sale but I choose to not buy them and still leave him some money in hope that someone else will. Some days I give more money than others depending on what I have in my purse and on some occasions I leave notes. I feel my money is better spent feeding someone poor then buying myself some luxury gelato at lunchtime. I can afford to make these small donations and I am sure so can many others who choose not to.

It is not our fault that a homeless person is homeless but it is our fault if we care more about ourselves then we do about humanity. People say they wish they could help so why don't we try together to make a difference.

I have never spoken to this man because in all honesty I am scared to approach him because I don't want to offend him if he can not speak well, or scare him with my approach and I don't want to get hurt but I want to help him. I can't afford to give him lots of money but I just wish to put a smile on his face for one day. I want him to be happy like I have been happy most of my life. I don't know what to do. Surely there's something I can do to help him more.

Thousands walk past him everyday as if his dirt and don't look back, to stop would mean they would be 30 seconds late to work...is this really too much to ask?