Today is my eldest birthday!

Happy 24th

Birthday, son !!!

 "He remembered that they were only human, like a wind that blows and does not come back."

~ Psalm 78:39 NCV

On Tues.  when I went on my first break from being the Statue of Liberty at Liberty Taxes I went behind the stores to smoke a cig  . . . when I came back in my Boss Lady began questioning  where I went to smoke the cigs . . . at first I was a bit taken back & puzzled  for 1) she too smokes 2) when I smoke on breaks I always try to go away from where I work & out of sight . . . so I could not quite comprehend why she was a bit bothered  . . . then she told me . . . this Liberty Tax store is located in a small plaza that is no less then 50 feet from where I reside . . . behind the plaza is some store buildings being worked  on, some buildings abandoned  & a bit of woods  . . myself am the sort who is very drawn to wooded  areas so since we moved here I have been back there quite often exploring . . . during my ventures  back there I have located the areas individuals  go to get away from everyone & more so perhaps away from "themselves" - a lot of booze & illegal substance are used & obtained there - "escape from their reality" . . . from time to time I gather cans  that have been tossed about . . . have I come across people? yep  . . . we kinda have an outspoken thing going on . . . I respect their space - ask no questions, give no lectures & they generally will back off & leave me be . . . still at times it can be a bit uncomfortable  for everyone . . . not only me, but for them as well

On Monday  after getting the lil one  off to school I had ventured up that way with two friends, one was curious if he could obtain a job as Uncle Sam  for Liberty Tax, so we were waiting for the store to open at 9 a.m.   . . . my friends collect cans  as well so I thought I would show them an area I poke about from time to time . . . that morning  it was a surprise  to see an individual already there . . . they were off to the side where some huge cement blocks are position . . . at first I truly did not notice the person, I just assumed it was a pile of blankets setting there, my male friend grabbed my arm & pulled me back then quietly  pointed out the figure under the blankets . . . my female friend ( who is the males wife ) & I questioned if the person was okay, the male friend pointed out that it was probably not wise to disturb the person for we were not sure of what "condition" they were in nor if they had some sort of weapon upon them . . . drugs & alchol run rampid round here  . . . some very hard drugs  . . . so you can never be sure  the frame of mind someone is in, especially when you come across them in that environment . . . so reluctantly me & the female friend left them, we understood his reasoning & it was logical but still . . . mmmm . . . still . . .

So back to the beginning of this entry  . . . recall me mentioning I came in from my first break & Boss Lady is not too thrilled  with me smoking out back . . . she then informs me that on Mon. around 11:30 ish in the morning back on that path a lady was found unconcious & had a bit of blood on her . . . she later passed away at the hospital  . . . thou blood was found upon her there was no injuries so the police  are presently assuming an overdose was the cause . . . as I continued my shift I pondered  if the individual we had saw back there around 8:30 a.m. had been her or not, as well I tossed about if we should have checked on them or not  . . . toward the very end of my shift in mid-wave  I turned around to discover there had been a man standing behind me  , he was talking but with my earphones in I did not hear him so I removed them to find him saying "I just found out my fiance had passed away." . . . a brief discussion  with him gave me the knowledge that she was indeed the body discovered back there & when I asked him the cause he felt it was the cold  & she had died in her sleep  . . . police  reports are stating otherwise . . .

From what I am gathering she was 49 & homeless . . . depending on whom you talk to whether it was her choice or circumstances will be a matter of opinion . . . and of course "stories" are amuck presently . . . she died from drugs/alchol/domestic violence . . . not sure what the actual cause was but I am leaning toward her losing her way . . .

Until next time . . .

 God, thank You for showing me that my human viewpoint is limited. Help me to see all of my circumstances from Your outlook - the eternal perspective. Amen