Shoulder taps

Awhile back I saw this video and it really moved me. But what happened shortly after somehow moved me more so I wanted to share that with you guys.

After seeing this video I showed it to Shaun and we were discussing how amazing the concept is. And how sometimes when we feel compelled to do something it could be God’s way of telling us we’re supposed to do it.

A few months later Shaun and I went to New York City. We went to our favorite pizza place and we each ordered our own pizzas (we like totally different toppings and sauces, etc.) so we ended up having a lot leftover. We had it wrapped up in boxes to go even though we were staying in a hotel room with no refrigerator. (And let’s face it, we’re in NYC. I’m not eating leftover pizza when there’s a thousand other places on my list!) But we took the leftovers anyway because my gut told me to.

As we were walking through Greenwich Village we were so wrapped up in talking about the neighborhood and this man we just met at the restaurant who was so nice that I didn’t even realize we had passed a homeless man. I, honest to God, didn’t even see him laying there on the street as we walked by the first time. But I stopped dead in my tracks about 20 feet away from him.

It was as if someone whispered in my ear to stop walking and turn around. I ran over to see this man curled up on the ground with nothing but a backpack who looked like he was sleeping. I knelt down and he instantly sat up as he spotted the take out box. He didn’t even let me finish my sentence of, “Are you hungry?” before vigorously nodding his head up and down and replying, “Yes ma’am”.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes as I handed him the box and while saying thank you he tore open the box and started eating. I think he finished all of the pizza before we even got down the block.

I don’t know this man, and I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again. I couldn’t tell you the last time he had a meal before I gave him that pizza. I won’t say my leftover pizza saved his life. I won’t even go as far as saying it changed his life. But he changed mine.

I swear it was as if someone tapped me on the shoulder and said hey why don’t you go give that to him? I cried the rest of the walk to the subway, and, if I’m being honest, for quite awhile after that. The way he looked at me it was like he knew my soul…like I was supposed to be right there in that moment.

Next time you feel like there’s a little voice, or a shoulder tap and you feel compelled to do something, do it. Pro tip: if you’re ever in a big city and you go out to dinner, have your leftovers packed up and ask for plasticware. It’s a small gesture but I bet there’s someone who could really use that. And if you’re lucky enough you’ll get a tap on your shoulder guiding you to that person.