simplicity.

I had a really eye-opening moment yesterday. This realization struck me so hard, tears immediately burst out of my eyes, I was short of breathe and clarity opened up like the Hoover Dam had just been broken. 

Let me back up. DK lives within walking distance of downtown and we've talked about taking a walking tour of the city, as though we were tourists. You notice so many more details when taking things in by foot. I'm also excited for any time we can shoot together, teaching one another and learning the other's perspective more in depth. So here we were, walking on a gorgeous day in downtown. 

We crossed the Bayou near Allen's Landing on San Jacinto and came around near UH Downtown. Stopping to take photos, chatting about things along the way,  just taking our time, we were waiting for the light to change so we could cross Commerce St. 

From here it all happened so fast. 

There are on a park bench behind us was a homeless man sleeping. Nothing unusual.  But then a shiny new Ford truck pulled up, a guy jumps out from the passenger side, approaches the homeless man and without saying a word, sets a brown paper bag on top of his bag. He jumps back into the truck and they take off, stopping down the road to hand a couple more bags to men on the street. 

DK and I, amazed by what we just saw, silently cross the street and that's when I got the wind knocked out of me. It hit so hard, DK just wrapped his arms around me and as I cried, this is what I said to him.

"I just witnessed what happened and my initial reaction was to stop those men and ask them what organization they were with, if they have a website and tell them I could mention them on the air sometime next week. But what I'm struggling with right now is why it even has to be a big deal, a big organization, a big production of charity. The simplicity of what these men just did is what strikes me. That is where the message is, not in volunteering for the best event... That putting together some food and drink, driving around and handing these things out was the most simple thing to do. And I bet they do it all the time, on their own, as God leads! Why can't I be more like that? Why does everything have to be a big planned event? 'Aaand tomorrow I'm going to help a large number of homeless men and women, sorry, I'm booked for the day but the rest of the week I'm open.' I want to get back to recognizing the simplicity of giving and loving." 

I have a lump in my throat as I write this... sometimes I think God just plants us right smack dab in the place He feels the message will be most powerful. This I believe was the message I needed to see, hear and set into motion. 

Simplicity.