I took a walk along the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California.  Leaning against a stoplight was a young man of about twenty-five. He was holding a sign that read, “Help, please. Down on my luck.”

He did not look up as I approached. I took five dollars out of my wallet, touched his arm, and said, “Here, take this.”

When he did look up, he gently took the money and smiled. I noticed that his teeth were badly deteriorated—a sign of possible methamphetamine abuse. Yet within his pale blue eyes there was a familiar, alert presence.

I squeezed his arm and told him, “Respect yourself, you are worth it.” He said, “Thank you. Your words mean a lot.”

I kept my hand resting on his arm for a few seconds until the light changed, then I stepped off the curb and into the street. Halfway through the intersection, my tears of compassion began.  I said a prayer for him to find a better life because one significant heart-lesson I live by is that every soul is whole, no matter how wounded the human being.

As ambassadors of love we lead with our heart and look beyond the outer human to clearly see and unconditionally love the soul within others, and ourselves too. God loves us no matter what. God also is there, within our soul, when we are ready to make changes to our lives for the better. All we must do is ask.