ok so basically many minutes ago i was on my way home walking from a mcdonalds when i saw a old lady calling out to me. i didn't quite hear her due to my headphones so i took them out and began hearing to her speaking to me in spanish. she was telling me about her asthma and i saw she was almost collapsing, breathing heavily like she was gasping for air with her left hand holding what i believe was either a asthma container or a lighter. i genuinely believed that she was a healthy old lady and i didn't want to feel morally convinced of knowing that i could have saved someones life but didn't simply due to the logic that many can assume this for drugs.
she was begging me for 6 bucks just so that she could buy the antibiotics and medicine for her asthma container and i rushed heavily giving her 10 bucks and well you can guess what happened, i went home and my mom argued that i was stupid for giving away that money. i told her like i did to that old lady "the money doesn't matter, i value a life more so don't worry about it" and of course we kept arguing about the decision but again i felt it was genuine and i was really worried for that old lady. i don't quite know who to talk to about the scenario but my mom was joking how it be funny to share this story as again she thinks the lady is an addict.
idk if i am just stupid for feeling morally convicted or if she is pretty much right? either way next time i am probably not going to be this generous but again this just looked too real for me at the time and i felt very guilty if i would have run away only for the next day to see her die.
It's almost impossible to know what it's like from a description; although you did a really good job describing it...
But we can hope and wish for the best. Maybe you'll see her again?
In any case do please be careful with your money yeah.
Look bro you followed your heart and did what you thought was right. Whether you got played or not is really immaterial.
I praise your humanity and all I can say is good for you for caring. An act of kindness is its own reward and cannot be diminished.
Yes. The writer's guild lets out here about this time.
Nice day. Wow Bright!
"Speaking in spanish"... curious that you mention it
Well, it's your decision and usually (not always) the first instinctive reaction is the right one.
Besides, while money is a major part of our live, if we have enough (to live for example) there's no need in holding onto it - you can help others who lack it.
My thought always was that I would become rich and then give to the ones who need it. But this didn't work out really, sadly.
Concerning your story, I think that that person was just scamming to buy cigarettes. But I only think so because I've met a lot of people, especially near supermarkets, that annoy you through following you and begging you to give them money to buy their "last" cigarette. But I can't be sure, obviously.
Either way, you made someon's day so I guess everything's fine. Besides, there will be a time where you can differenciate between someone in need for money because of medical condition and because of a personal choice. But it seems you've still got the time to experience it all, afterall, experience comes from experiencing it.
True sign of humanity!
Probably i would have asked her to purchase those medicine from shop nearby and offer to pay for it
@SILVERKNIGHT101 said in #1:
> ok so basically many minutes ago i was on my way home walking from a mcdonalds when i saw a old lady calling out to me. i didn't quite hear her due to my headphones so i took them out and began hearing to her speaking to me in spanish. she was telling me about her asthma and i saw she was almost collapsing, breathing heavily like she was gasping for air with her left hand holding what i believe was either a asthma container or a lighter. i genuinely believed that she was a healthy old lady and i didn't want to feel morally convinced of knowing that i could have saved someones life but didn't simply due to the logic that many can assume this for drugs.
>
> she was begging me for 6 bucks just so that she could buy the antibiotics and medicine for her asthma container and i rushed heavily giving her 10 bucks and well you can guess what happened, i went home and my mom argued that i was stupid for giving away that money. i told her like i did to that old lady "the money doesn't matter, i value a life more so don't worry about it" and of course we kept arguing about the decision but again i felt it was genuine and i was really worried for that old lady. i don't quite know who to talk to about the scenario but my mom was joking how it be funny to share this story as again she thinks the lady is an addict.
>
> idk if i am just stupid for feeling morally convicted or if she is pretty much right? either way next time i am probably not going to be this generous but again this just looked too real for me at the time and i felt very guilty if i would have run away only for the next day to see her die.
I'd be with the position of your mother, next time call an ambulance. People don't almost die and beg someone for money to buy stuff, they beg for the medical assistance itself.
There's an unfathomable amount of suffering on this planet, and we as individuals only have a limited amount of compassion we can take on.
If someone is actively starving or dying in front of you, of course help them. But are you responsible for every homeless person's problems? Ultimately I agree with your mom, unless you are stopping someone from dying, you'd be best to worry about your own problems.
