Walk A Mile In My Bare Feet

There is an Indian prayer used to intimate that you should not judge until you have lived another's circumstances.

Great Spirit, grant that I may not criticize my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins.

Of course through the years it has been co-opted and reworked to the simpler saying, "Walk a mile in my shoes," but it means the same thing.  That you just cannot fully appreciate another's life and hurdles until you have experienced them first hand.

There are, of course, moments when we can fathom, guess, shudder at someone's circumstances through the wonderful human sense of empathy.

This is one of those times.

Pictured is NYPD Officer Larry DiPrimo.  On November 14th, a frigid night in Manhattan, he came upon this homeless man with no shoes on his feet.  Said DiPrimo, "I had two pairs of wool winter socks and combat boots, and I was cold."

He offered to get the man some socks and shoes.  The man replied, "I never had a pair of shoes."

Officer DiPrimo went immediately to the nearby Sketchers store, spent $75 of his own money, purchased warm socks and boots for the man, returned, knelt down, and put them on the man's feet.

"He smiled from ear to ear," DePrimo said. "It was like you gave him a million dollars."

Why did he do this?

All because he could.  The simplest, kindest reason of all.  He could.  No quest for glory or recognition.  Just a simple act of human kindness in a world where we see far too little of it in action.

It is why we do what we do with Namaste/Yes, Virginia.  We may not be hungry.  We not may be cold or have icicles that form inside our homes, but we have empathy and we can imagine.

Thank you all so much for the donations that have been coming in.  Needs are many. 

Like Officer DiPrimo, if you can help, do help.  When one life touches another, both lives are changed forever.

Comments

[Another Lori in TX]

What a wonderful story! Thanks for reminding us of the good in the world, Linda.

[Ame]

I saw this when I first woke up and immediately started bawling. I wish there were more amazing, wonderful people like this officer in the world. Imagine what it would be like. No hate - just love and compassion.

[Katy]

just read this story at another site and KNEW you would write about this officer's deed. In the article I read, it said the officer also offered to buy the homeless man a cup of coffee, but he was so excited about his new shoes that he walked off instead. And yes, it brought tears to my eyes and is just the sort of thing I needed to read today, to restore my faith in human nature. There really ARE people who care about other people.

[Shannon jones]

What a blessing Officer Larry DiPrimo is! It's so good to see such sweet, caring & thoughtfulness like this. How great thou are! I really needed this uplifting story today too... Not only has he touched the homeless mans life but he has touched mine as well. May god bless you all and may god be with you all of your days!

[Anthony DeJorno]

I know a man our city who each year goes to his bank and withdraws $10,000. in $50 dollar bills. He goes home, puts each $50.00 bill in an envelope and then he goes out into the streets and hands out these envelopes to people he sees that need help. Only a few people know his name as I do, and he remains anonymous as to not have the spotlight on him. He says that he works all year and saves this money to give away to the needy at Christmas. Asked why he does this... the same answer comes out.... "Because I can afford it and someone needs to help these people. Christmas for me is giving and never receiving." I later learned that this man was once a homeless man in Los Angeles. So I guess he does know a thing or two about being needy. Thank God that we have these people with us. We are able to learn a great lesson from them.

[Linda S to Anthony]

Thank you for sharing that. Another beautiful example of someone doing something simply because they CAN. So heartwarming.

[Kerry]

In 1997 I lived in ND and our whole town was flooded. An anonymous "angel" pledged $2000 to every affected family to help rebuild - about $15 million dollars. The only caveat was she didn't want to be identified. Many people thought it was Oprah Winfrey. Sadly, some reporters who thought they were hot stuff tracked down the name of the angel and identified her. People were actually horrified that they did. All that woman asked for in return for her generosity was NOT to be named. The angel was Joan Kroc, widow of Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's.

And yes, I got my money. Not $2,000, because people were not as honest as they expected them to be and took when they weren't entitled and they ran out of money (such as people on upper floors of apartments or all the residents of the homeless shelter that didn't have flood damage or loss, but lived in the right zip code so they technically qualified). But any money was better than none, it's a kindness I will always remember, and it's quite an inspiring story overall.
http://www.mcspotlight.org/media/press/trib_20may97.html

[john]

To another Lori from Texas above who wishes there were more people like this officer: Lori, if you are like that officer then there are at least two. We can't account for anyone else, only ourselves. Live your life the way you want others to live theirs and all will be well. It's a love thing.

[IrishM]

I saw this online somewhere else and starting reading the comments at the end of the story. I know, mistake. People just had to be negative and put their grinchy comments in about him getting shoes all the time by "camping" out near a shoestore, etc. Why can't they just see the simplicity and beauty of someone helping another less fortunate? Go away Scrooges and leave us to remember what it really is all about! The Officer is on Good Morning America today, will watch when I go home.

[Chicky]

THIS is the reason I wanted so badly to repay the kindness of all of you with anything I could scrape up. Pay it forward. For the last couple years, Linda and the Yes Virginia fund have helped me out at Christmas time. I found myself with a little extra cash this year and the first thing I thought of was paying it back. Not because I felt obligated, you guys NEVER made anyone feel that way, but because it felt good to know that someone else would be touched the way I was. And because I believe in Karma and "what goes around comes around". Not only will you be bringing pure JOY to someone who may have lost a little hope, but you will bring JOY to yourself knowing you could and did help. I love this blogmunity and everything it stands for.

[DarleneK]

God Bless us everyone! If only each one of us would do a similar act of kindness, for another less fortunate individual, how much better off we would be. I intend to do just that... and as often as I can.

[Kerry]

Like John said, you have to do what you can and live with yourself. A while back I saw a mom, dad and their BABY panhandling on the side of the road. A BABY! Maybe it was the best con ever, I don't know. If so, it worked. But I gave them some money. And at least I tried to do the decent thing, and could sleep myself that night. That's all you can do. Try.