Cost of Compassion: Trust

Last Sunday on the way to the church, I was stopped by a man and he handed me a beautiful rose, saying thing like oh you're as pretty as the rose. In the beginning, I was like, "oh wow, that's a good start of the day" (haha)

so I happily took the flower from him and smiled at him and just about to leave, but he stopped me again and pointed to the girl who's sitting in a trolly and said: "I need money for food and school for my kid." then i realized... "ach so, that's why." In fact, I could've just said no to him and gave him back the flower, but... as what I'm always like...I just couldn't say "NO"...(grrrr) especially with the flower holding in my hand. so... sort of like on the horn of a dilemma, I gave him 20SEK. but... unfortunately that didn't meet his expectation and he said, "oh come on, please, you have more money" although at that moment I really wanted to say, "could you please take the 20SEK and I can give you the rose back?" under that girl's innocent look and the eager gaze from the man, I took another 20SEK bill and left with a not-so-beautiful-anymore rose, feeling I got robbed/scammed. (that's indeed how I fell inside..)

As I was trying to think more positively by telling myself that at least he didn't just ask for money but tried to do something and he's gonna use the money for the kid (sincerely hope so...), came right to me another man with trolly and holding a rose in one hand, saying "please, please" (completely deja vu). Thank God that this time I could stay firm, keeping my walking pace and said, "thank you, no." otherwise, I'm afraid I might end up with a bunch of roses and started to sell it myself.

Oh well, maybe again it's the normal price of buying a rose in Sweden, but the way how they try to push and with the kid part is something I really don't appreciate.

In Taiwan we also have handicapped people selling tissue/pens, which are overpriced and with poor quality. So it's usually a one-time sale, or people just pay for compassion. I really think they could've sold something nicer with more reasonable prices, then people would be more willing to buy things from them.

Still some good things happened though, like I did get a nice conversation with an old gentleman because of this rose. I like what Helene usually says, when something not so good happens, quickly get over it and move on. Something good will always be around the corner.