I received a Giving Key necklace with the word "believe" on it for my graduation from a friend of mine. It's pretty cool because, at the time, I needed to believe, believe in myself and the direction I was going.
About a week later I met a homeless man on the beach after I had watched the sun come up. We talked, mainly about him and his story. He told me he was religious and it's all he had to hold onto because his girlfriend was doing time for heroin possession and he had nowhere to stay, he didn't have family to help him or a job to get him on his feet. I knew I crossed his path for a reason. I talked to him and gave him some encouragement, but before I departed from him I knew I was meant to hand him over the key.
I explained to him the meaning behind it and I told him I believe in him and every time he looks at the key around his neck it's a reminder that if he believes it'll all be alright. I explained that he is supposed to pay it forward and give it to someone when he feels they need it more than him. He joked and said he was going to the soup kitchen later so he probably won't have it for long. His sense of humor was something else. I wanted to cry not because I pitied him, but because I admired his strength to keep living despite his circumstances. He made me think of my father who abused drugs and overdosed on heroin. I'm not sure if my father believed in himself, but I knew Timmy (the guy I met) did.
I think he was taken aback that I even approached him to speak, but I could careless about him being homeless. That doesn't define ones character. He had such a beautiful soul. After I gave him the necklace he thanked me, gave me a hug and gave me a flower he made out of palm tree leaves.
I was so thankful to have met him. He inspires me until this day, even without the necklace I think about him and his story encourages me to BELIEVE.
-Lizzy
