"Open up and say AAaaaAhhHhh!!!~!~"

I hopped in to my car after work and was approached by this old lady who looked pretty shabby. Messy clothes and wearing a "tudung" ( a scarf worn around the head by Muslim women in Malaysia; conceals the hair but not the face ). Nothing but a grocery sack.

I've heard all the arguments against picking up strangers on the road and finally I've quit doing it, but it makes me feel a little guilty to refuse an old lady who wanted me to drive her to the nearest bus stop. Because long ago when I was being exposed to a college education and going back and forth from school to home, that's how I traveled - on my thumb. So i thought when I got a steady job and a set of wheels I picked up every one who needed a ride. And moreover, she seems harmless.

She got in to my car and the nearest bus stop is like 5minutes drive away. In the car, she told me bout herself. Her late husband passed away when she was very young and left her with two kids. She's from Indonesia, in a village where food is never enough and life is tough. She's earning like RM500 every month, tell me people how much can you do with only RM500 per month. Not even enough to pay rent, foods and other expenses. She lives a hard life, very hard. We reached the bus stop not long after that and she got down from my car and thanked me politely. I grabbed her hand and gave her a RM50 note, not enough to help her but at least it makes me feel better to help.

I was very lucky to have always had food put on the table each meal, every day and never went to bed hungry. When I started to work, many times when I had no cash and one specific time I ate frozen hamburger buns. That was all I had, and another New Year Eve all I had was a pack of TomYam Maggie Mee and to tell you the truth, I was so happy to have that it seemed like the best meal I ever ate. Now that I work as a professional, I never go hungry.

We were blessed because we never went without food or other basics; we often did without extras but never food, water, a place to live, and power for lights and heat. There are still people in the world who go hungry. I don't think this is because we don't have enough to share or that we do not share; it's usually either because these folks don't live where help is easily accessible or they do not seek out help. So, be glad that you have foods served everyday.