don't jump to conclusions

I don't know if you guys believe in religion or if there is a God. But I feel that sometimes God speaks to me not in words or enlighten me with sudden insights, but instead reveals himself in the little things I come across everyday.

Just after blogging about how I feel that it's so hard to care for everyone, something happened today, and I feel that it's God's reply to me. I was studying at my favourite spot, the slope, when I notice a man walking up this steep winding road to one of the RPI buildings. He was moving very slowly and was using a walking aid. He was in his fifties I would think, and was obesed. He really looked like he was having a hard time, but i didn't know if I could help, or should help- you know how some people who are handicapped in one way or another feel even more prideful about being independent. But i just couldn't sit there and watch him, something was just urging me to go approach him, to at least ask if i could help in any way. Well, I did and at first he was saying he just need to rest, but I KIND OF insisted and said that I didn't have class today so i could help.

He accepted it and said " well i could use some company". I offered to hold his bag for him to lighten his already heavy "load" and while he continued walking, we started chatting. It brought to my attention that, you need to be gracious to help, but sometimes you might need even more grace to accept help, and he definitely did. He told me that he was suffering from Parkinson's and diabetes, and apparently was one of the professors in RPI. What really touched me was him saying "life is good". I was really amazed at how determined he was (he said it's stubborness), in living life to the fullest, and not letting reality bring him down. As much as I would like to think I am strong, I'm not confident that I can face up to his challenge if I were in his shoes! To walk up this hill for 2 days every week ALONE. It's not only hard, it's dangerous! He could just lose his footing and he'll start rolling down the hill, and it could be fatal!

I helped him with some requests along the way and he asked for my email and number, that he wanted to thank me. i gave him my email and contact not because I'm expecting his repayment, but because I would hope to keep in contact with him. You know there are some strangers you meet in your life through genuinely sincere circumstances and you feel that it's something sacred and special? this is one of them for me, and I really didn't want anything materialistic or superficial to spoil this experience. That 20 mins while walking up the hill with him and chatting, was one of the most sincere moments in my life, where I was just being myself and I didn't felt i was being judged. Yah especially after I blogged about being judged and all...... Maybe God is trying to tell me, you CAN care for people other than those close to you. You CAN reach out to those who need a helping hand, and that it is wonderful!

I think I am the one who should thank this professor for letting me help him, for giving me this opportunity to learn from life. He asked me to go back in 20 mins and I didn't know why. But I think i'll go back to take a look. honestly, i couldn't understand what he was saying 1/4 of the time because he was slurring and I felt really bad to have him repeat himself sometimes.

thinking back, it wasn't very much noble on my part, since I think any of my friends I know in GIP, especially the girls, would have done the same thing. but this experience is just really meaningful to me especially when I was starting to doubt myself.