Driving west on Main Street, I noticed a woman walking. She was thin, dressed in a mid-length plaid coat, and wore a stocking cap. We arrived at the stoplight, turning into Walmart around the same time. Instead of walking toward the store, she crossed the street and gave the man holding a sign some money. He shoved it in his front pant pocket.

The woman and I entered the store simultaneously, and I could see she was a spry elderly lady. I told her how nice she was to help the man with the sign. We left the store about the same time, and she sat on a bench in the shelter and waited for a bus.

The woman emotionally touched me. Outwardly, she appeared to have no excessive financial means, yet she helped someone else. The rich help the rich, so why would I be impressed to see the poor helping the poor?

While looking into the bank account of my disabled sister, who lives on Social Security, I saw she donated every month to a dog rescue, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a Native American organization. My nephew, who was helping, said, “The poor giving to the rich.”

Those two examples made me wonder why we do what we do.

I’ve driven with people who have more than ample money, who drive past people standing on the corner holding a sign for help. Their decision not to hand over a dollar or two is often followed by ranting or mumbling about how the person is probably a millionaire, scamming all of us, and asking why they don’t get a job.

I admired my husband because he would keep five dollar bills in his pickup door panel and wouldn’t hesitate to hand one out the window if the person with a sign looked as though they were unemployable.

Maybe the woman who gave what little she had did so because she could relate to the man’s feelings. Perhaps she had been in a similar situation herself.

My sister gave small monthly donations to large organizations because she believed in their mission, making her feel she was contributing to a larger purpose. With pride in her voice, she said, “I can’t give much, but I can give something.”

It amounts to compassion in a nutshell.

To those who don’t enjoy helping the unfortunate, you’re missing out on inexpensive mental health care. Give because you like to help; when you do, you and the recipient magically spread much-needed joy. It’s a win-win.

I learned from the people noted in this article; I hope each person’s story also offers you a little food for thought.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

Jennifer Goble, Ph.D., LPC, is the author of “My Clients…My Teachers,” and the blogger and writer of Rural Women Stories: www.ruralwomenstories.com.

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