MamaBlogger365 - Music and Mayhem by Shira Adler, Diva Mama

After a harried week, spending a really grown-up evening in the city sounded like heaven. The hour train ride to Grand Central Terminal flew by.  Before I knew it I was waiting for my boyfriend in the middle of the central foyer, admiring the view of the main concourse amidst the bustle of the evening commuters who scarcely seemed to have time or the inclination to admire its grandeur.

With the excitement of two teens playing hooky, we began the short dash to the Times Square shuttle and on to our connecting train.

And that was when I saw her.

Sitting next to the stairs close to the number 1 Broadway local crouched a dark-haired woman, somewhere around my age with a two-year-old. The baby sat in her flimsy umbrella stroller, eyes drooping closed while sucking on the bottle her mother propped up with one hand. In the other was a sign: “I lost my job and have two kids to feed. Please help me buy some food.”

As usual for a busy NY subway, most people were too preoccupied or just tired of seeing “these types” in the subway corridors to notice.

I grabbed the only remaining single I had in my wallet and knelt down to place it in her hat. As I did our eyes locked. “God bless you,” she said to which I replied, “and God bless you. Hang in there, I hope this helps..." my words trailed away, not sure of what I could really offer knowing I had no time to even stop and chat, ask her name, how she was doing or where she’d be sleeping tonight with her children. read more

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Photo credit Girls Eyeball by Mikaela Dunn