Misconceptions

Tonight Kent, Braxton and I went down to the gateway mall to shop for a Christmas present. We decided to make it a family outing and it was very nice. We rode trax down and enjoyed each others company. When we got off trax there was a large van with a bunch of kids pulled off to the side of the rode. Kent and I both noted that the kids looked like they were up to no good. No sooner had we said those words and I was corrected. A girl jumped out the side door and walked over to a man sitting on the ground with a homeless sign. The girl had what looked like leftovers from eating out and handed them to the man. He accepted the food and the girl walked back to the van. I realized how quickly we can jump to misconceptions.

I remember once hearing a teenager say how unfair it is that adults think just because they are a teenager they have nothing good to contribute to the world. Tonight, I myself, was corrected when a van full of teenagers who I thought were up to no good were up to more good than I was. Does that person I was shopping for need that gift? Not really. Does that man need food to eat? I don't know. It looked like it. I do know those kids will be blessed for their generosity.

Also along the lines of misconceptions why is it that I feel guilty when I don't give to those who do seem in need? On the way back from the gateway there was another man who seemed to hurry to sit on the grass and put up his sign for Kent and I. I had a lemonade that Kent had bought for Braxton and I and as I glanced at this man I chose to smile at him instead of ignore him. As I walked away he said something ornery sounding that I didn't catch. But it made me feel like he was making a judgement of me and my lack of giving. This time a misconception on this man's part.

I am a giving person. Just the other day a man asked me for some change because he said he had run out of gas. Considering he was carrying a gas can I felt safe giving him a little. While I am willing to give that doesn't mean that I have to give to each and every person that sits in my way. I will give to charities and I will give to the food bank very generously when I have a lot to give, but I usually don't give handouts to someone who may or may not be sleeping on the street. There are places for him to get help and if he really needs help he can go to those places.

The best part of the evening was the trax ride home. Kent and I were totally entertained by a couple of girls riding trax home from a state football game for Alta high. They were listening to an ipod and lip syncing as they danced in their seats. Kent laughed and noted that they must have seen the music video because they were doing the same little movements as they lip synced the songs. This was a time yet again to show that not all teenagers are up to no good. I know that there are a lot of horrible things going on in some of these kids lives, but not all of them are involved in these horrible things.

There was one last misconception on the way home. There was a man sitting across from Braxton who looked like a really nice guy. Braxton kept looking at him which sparked conversation. When conversation started we got an earful about how corrupt the government is and the conspiracy to rob us through high taxes and prescription drugs that make you sicker than you already are. While he did say some things I agreed with I didn't agree with his idea to stop paying taxes to the government. I was just really surprised that such a nice looking man was neglecting his civic duty to help our government run important things. Maybe I don't agree with all the government does, but I do agree with helping to pay for our schools, roads, public buildings, police protection, and so forth. It's interesting to look around at the world and take note of how often we all have misconceptions.