Today while serving breakfast at Preble Street I met a young man named, Todd.* When Todd entered the dining area he was unable to serve himself so I had the pleasure of assisting him. Upon speaking with him I learned that it wasn't that long ago that he was on my side of the track, meaning: he was employed, he had a house, and he was living what he thought was a great life. About a year and half ago, Todd came to North Carolina and ran a half marathon. He had a great time at the run; however, he returned home to completely different circumstances. He came home to a house crumbled and in ashes. His house burned down while he was away. He didn't have much support to fall back on and ended up homeless. He fell into some troubling and detrimental things. He told me so many stories. But after learning this little bit, I instantly had to thank God for just that moment, for we never know when life can deal us a troublesome hand. We can be living our best lives today and be in Todd's shoes tomorrow. Always be grateful and always remember that none of us are better than the next person, we all experience different walks of life. Thank you Preble Street for allowing us to serve and for giving me the opportunity to meet my new FRIEND, Todd.
*name changed
*name changed