subway

i was sitting on the subway yesterday and a man walked by with a dirty paper plate. he didn’t say anything, just kind of held it out as he walked down the line. i didn’t have anything to give him, but i watched as a man who was sitting across from me and who looked like he was maybe on his way to work, was holding a plastic walmart-like bag and some juice. the man walked by him and he pulled out of the bag his breakfast sandwich and handed it to the man. at first the man kind of worried me because of his appearance, and i didn’t know what he wanted. i realized that society has made us think that people like panhandlers just want money for drugs, or if someone tells you you’re beautiful and asks for your number they could be a rapist, and if someone isn’t dressed nicely they are a creeper. what if they are wanting money for food for their kids, or just being nice, or just aren’t given the nice clothes that we have but is actually a really nice person. we need to think beyond ourselves, beyond the barricade, and think from someone else’s point of view. we always look for and assume the worst in people, but the world would be that much better if we looked for the best in people and assumed the best. idk just some thoughts