the tin man

- Anonymous

 

I passed a man on the street one day

  his clothes were worn and tattered

his stench was vile and I veered around him

  Yet in my obvious rudeness

his filthy countenance embraced a smile

 

I sneered in disgust at the creature

  what did he have to grin about?

his teeth were yellowed, his body thin

  and his greeting was nothing to blush at

yet his demeanor remained blithe all the while

 

This sort of meeting between us continued

  for a week or so I suppose

I found myself  picturing him

  my mind began to wonder

what was behind his simple smile?

 

Finally I confronted the beggar

  I charged him with insanity

he was poor, unclean, and hungry

  what in creation did he have

that was worth his broad smile

 

At this opportunity to finally share his thoughts

  he leaned against a rusted post

and made a statement that changed my life

  with a calm fathering look he said,

“every moment is worth while.”

 

I found it contrary that such a poor man

  should have such a high outlook

I’d watched him gather tin cans

  on crowded city sidewalks

he had no reason to smile!

 

Years later I read an article

  about a man who gave his life to children

He was reported to have donated some

  five million dollars, his life’s earnings, 

he was pictured with kindly smile

 

This man was my beggar

  a wealthy gentleman of sixty-five

The cans he collected were one of many things

he did as a way to make

every moment of a child’s life “worth while...”