Isn’t it ironic, don’t ya think?

After frantically and unsuccessfully searching my apartment for an umbrella this morning, I decided to keep my fingers crossed and make a break for it under the questionable gray skies. Not five minutes into my walk to the train, that sky opened up its valves and the rain came pouring down.

I dodged under the overhangs and sidewalk trees until I was forced to wait, uncovered, for the white pedestrian “WALK” light to give me the go-ahead. As I waited, I glanced over at the same homeless man I pass every morning and thought, how selfish of me. Here I am worried that the rain will ruin my freshly applied makeup and recently straightened hair, while this man is worried about getting some food in his stomach today.

While I’m in no position to pride myself on having lots of money or fancy things, I felt humbled in the moment – maybe even a bit too well-off compared to this poor man who stands on the same corner every day looking for pennies.

Then, the man lifted his arm to unveil a black umbrella, which he proceeded to open and raise above his head, shielding himself from the morning shower. In that moment, and with an interesting twist of fate, that homeless man – cigarettes and all – was living a more luxurious life than the umbrella-less worker bees like myself who were scrambling for cover in route to another day at the office.