The Daily Crisis of, "Can't Afford It"

I was in the grocery store recently.  There were two young kids with their mom.  The boy was about 7, the girl 4 or so.  Like most kids in the checkout line, they were wide-eyed and grabbing candy bars.  Even before they could ask, the Mom said, "Put it back, we can't afford it".  With a sunken whimper, they complied and that was that.

For me, I just stood as a stoic observer, but inside I was crushed for the kids.  They were just doing what kids do... testing limits and "going for it".  But, the thud of the Mom's authority struck me.  Their budget obviously could not withstand a frivolous candy purchase.  She didn't say, "Not this time" (or) "No, we got candy last time..."  It was like, shut 'em down, drop a rock on their head finality - and they knew there was no sense in arguing.  They were being trained to "not afford it".

This simple example is how many people live... on the edge and barely making it.  A $2 make-or-break proposition that sucks the life out of things.  It is the daily wearing down of peoples' souls because the money simply does not exist to buy $2 worth of happiness.  It is chronically being in crisis - day after day, month after month.  It is the definition of being stuck, frustrated and miserable... and a candy bar is just one little example of the millions of ways this can play out.

We simply offer an option.  A different, additional path to consider.

To have the tact and empathy to approach this Mom - and invite her to have a look at what we do and explain how we can help is just one little moment that may never avail itself again.  This was a woulda', shoulda', coulda' moment for me.  I didn't say anything to this Mom, this time.

These moments exist every day.  Our role is to ask for permission and invite them to evaluate something that may be able to help them.  In doing so, we potentially elevate peoples' lives.  You never know, unless you speak - you act.