Lunch with Stan

Today was one of those days where the sun was a little brighter, my steps were a little springier, and my smile was a little warmer. Guess that's why Stan picked me.

Stan was sitting on the sidewalk, leaning up against the a building where a lot women who don't speak much English sew clothes for not much money. He asked if I would be willing to listen to his story. Which I did.

Stan was a retired operating engineer. But he had fallen on hard times and now he just wanted to get something to eat. Having no change, I invited him to walk to the burger place around the corner with me.

As I asked Stan more about himself, he explained that he used to operate a crane, like the one we could see on the horizon. He told me he had helped build some of the nicer hotels in San Francisco. He was an gentle man who had hit a rough patch after 35 years of building this beautiful city.

I got him a combo meal and treated him like a friend.

He promised me he'd pay it forward. I told him that while I'd never been there, I'd been close. And that's when he said something that made me want to tell his story.

"You don't need to be in the gutter to know it's there. You understand. And I love you for it."

I know you understand too.

My prayer is that the next time you encounter one of the millions of Stans out there, that you take the opportunity to walk with him, talk with him, and maybe share a soda with him.

It really is a gift from above.