No matter how prolific a country’s economy is, homelessness remains to be a prevalent social issue. It’s a problem many people tend to ignore or forget, and unfortunately, not a lot of folks are educated about it. Some are also inclined to avoid it in discussions since talking about it make others quite uncomfortable.

Regardless of one’s social awareness, it’s critical to be informed about what homelessness entails. It’s hard to imagine how there are still those who struggle to avail daily necessities in today’s time! Well, a man named Greg Smith thought the same and resolved to do something about it when he met a homeless person himself.

A Homeless Magnet

Greg Smith was just like any corporate man in town – he went his usual way to work every day with no qualms about whatever's surrounding him. As a resident of Orlando, Florida, he was used to the hustle and bustle of the town, considering it was flocked by tourists on a regular basis.

But there's one thing that seems to happen to Greg without fail; homeless people were continually approaching him! It never bothered him at all, but he realized it must be due to his fancy work clothes. After all, if you looked the part, most would immediately assume you're rich!

The Mysterious Woman

Generosity was among Greg’s strongest traits, so whenever a homeless person would come his way, he never once second-guessed about giving whatever extra cash he had. Funnily enough, it even became his daily routine during commute! Greg had come to know most of these individuals, and oddly enough, considered them 'friends.'

However, there was one particular homeless woman who, unlike others, never asked him for a single cent. Greg would pass by her almost every day, and she would just look at him with a twinkle in her eye and pass a sincere greeting. Finally, Greg decided to greet her and introduced himself. 

World, Meet Amy Joe

It wasn’t always common for Greg to write about anything his encounters, but he figured the woman he met deserved a spot in his life. Not only that, but he felt it was his duty to let the world know about her story – no matter how unimportant it may be to those who read it.

Greg took to his ‘Facebook’ account as it was where he knew there would be a more significant audience to reach. There, he began to write about Amy Joe, the jolly lady he met somewhere in Downtown Orlando.  

The First Encounter

Those who've seen Amy Joe on the streets tend to look past through her. One couldn't blame these people, though, as some homeless people aggressively beg for money from whoever comes their way – it was a ‘normal’ reaction, more so for tourists. But as Greg mentioned, Amy wasn't like that. In fact, she never attempted to do so!

What’s amusing about it is how Greg sort of waited and expected for that moment to arrive, but it never did. Day after day, Amy Joe just sat there and bid hello to whoever came her way, including Greg.

A Happy Disposition

Despite her impoverished state, Amy Joe was consistently positive about herself, and it radiated in her entire aura. She didn’t wait for anyone to smile at her, she’d smile at them first instead! Greg noticed this when he first saw her Downtown, and he couldn’t get her out of his mind. What was it that made this ‘poor’ woman so happy?

She had all the chances to ask for money, and Greg would’ve given her the minute she did; instead, Amy Joe addressed him a good morning, said to have a great day, and uttered blessings – Indeed, Greg was pleasantly surprised.

She Was Wrapped in Intrigue

Being a busy corporate man, Greg didn't want to concern himself with other people’s affairs, especially when it came to strangers. But there was something quite intriguing about Amy Joe that Greg couldn’t ignore, so he saw her more often.

Meanwhile, it’s easy to understand why Greg became so interested in Amy Joe, as aside from her cheery and pleasing persona, he’s never met anyone quite like her. And he was right all along – as it turned out, she kept a deep secret that surprised Greg like no other!

Hiding Something

After striking a unique friendship with Amy Joe, she and Greg began to have a standing lunch date every Tuesday – rain or shine! The two spent most of the hour talking about their life experiences and all the things they've learned from one another – their conversations eventually became a highlight of their week!

The more they got to know each other, Amy Joe grew more open towards Greg. "That was the right time"- she concluded in her mind. something about herself she must share with this person, she never really told anyone – Amy Joe didn’t know how to read.

Never Had the Chance

A considerable chunk of one's childhood is spent mostly in school, where kids learn the fundamentals such as reading and writing, among other things. And in the United States, one could say their public education system is established so well that it’s uncommon to see citizens who aren’t skilled in reading.

Sadly, Amy Joe revealed to Greg on one of their lunch dates that she never had that golden opportunity. Unlike other homeless people, she didn't have any vices like smoking, addiction, or drinking either– her only hindrance to landing employment was her inability to read.

Amy’s Dilemma

Upon hearing this, Greg was shocked and saddened at Amy Joe’s experience. Even then, she didn’t deserve to be in that state, mainly since life would have been very different for her if she only had the chance to educate herself – she probably wouldn’t be homeless right now.

Amy Joe did her best to find a job that could support her, but no one was willing to hire someone who didn’t know how to read. Disheartened at this, she lost her confidence and ended up wandering the streets of Orlando – but this never affected Amy Joe’s bubbly outlook in life.

Working Toward A Goal

If there’s one crucial thing that would fuel a goal, it’s determination – and Amy Joe had lots of it. Instead of being down in the dumps, she sought ways that would help improve her situation; she determined reading would be her key out of homelessness.

Amy Joe confessed that she would rather use the donated money she got from people in the streets to realizing her goal than buying food. To address this, Amy Joe went to a public library and borrowed books so she could practice reading – she was that determined!

Different Priorities

As Amy shared her life story, Greg could only sit there in disbelief; he felt sad at how Amy Joe had to make decisions like this just to get a job. Aside from that, he also realized his new friend might end up sick if she consistently missed meals, which would possibly lead her to a much sorrowful state.

Much as Greg admired Amy Joe for her will power to learn, he knew something had to be done if it meant it could aid Amy Joe in her quest to learn how to read. This way, she didn't have to choose between food and books.

A Helping Hand

Life certainly had an odd way of dealing with one's luck, and Greg thought about how blessed he was compared to Amy Joe. Growing up, his parents always supported him in whatever he set his mind to, and he didn't have to worry about not having a meal or a shelter to keep him safe!

Greg's family wasn't super wealthy, but they had the means to provide him with whatever he needed, be it for work or school. It was clear to Greg that he had to do the same for someone who didn't have anything to their name; in this case, it was Amy Joe. 

Amy’s New Study Buddy

Indeed, Amy Joe was on the right track to leaving homelessness behind as accepting monetary donations from strangers would only alleviate her predicament temporarily – she couldn’t wait to be able to read finally, and now someone was willing to join her in that journey.

Now that they were study buddies, a brand-new lunch date was created, with Greg being the reading teacher and Amy, the willful student. It was the perfect setup as devoting an hour to studying with Greg would hasten Amy’s learning curve and allow her to read faster!

Working Together

To achieve their desired outcome, Greg took the lead and rented one book per week from the library. This way, Amy Joe didn’t need to spend a single dollar, and she could allot that amount to purchase food instead!

Greg didn't have any unique books lined up for Amy, but he chose those that wouldn't be too difficult for her to practice on. Their Tuesday lunch/learning sessions began to take shape – Amy Joe was well on her way in her reading journey and developed a reading habit even without Greg around.

How the Library Works

Some might wonder why Amy Joe needed to shell out some cash in order to borrow a book from a public library. But as it turned out, those who didn’t have a permanent address weren’t eligible to obtain a library card - the only way for homeless people to borrow books was to pay for them.

Amy Joe knew this rule was in place, but one could say her thirst for knowledge and willingness to have a new skill was stronger than anything else. She is certainly one woman who deserves recognition!

Hoping to Inspire Others

Greg didn't know many people who had the same drive for success as Amy Joe, which is precisely why he wanted to share her story with the rest of the world. Perhaps, her perseverance, despite her trials in life, would spark inspiration to others who have the capacity to help.

It doesn’t have to be anything grand, nor should it require a lot of money. Like Greg, time and effort to listen to what they wanted to do was already a big help – and they’d definitely appreciate it no matter what happens.

It Could Be Someone You Know

If you look hard enough, one would surely find people within their social circles who are probably in the same tight situation as Amy Joe. And it’s not just about being homeless or hungry too, but it could be a number of things. Maybe they’re just too shy to admit it, but some family or friends could always use a hand!

In case there’s no one at home you could help, then perhaps help one of the neighbors, especially the elder ones. The possibilities are endless as long as you just keep an open mind and a heart with pure intentions.

Start with Something Simple

The easiest and quickest way to brighten up a person's day is by saying simple greetings like 'Hi' or 'How are you?' It takes less than five seconds to do both, and maybe that acknowledgment was all that person needed to lift his or her mood – even a nod or a wave would have the same positive effect.

For Greg, he was just lucky money wasn't an issue since he could provide both financial and emotional support for Amy Joe. He intended to do so for as long as his newfound pal needed him to or until she could stand on her own.

Find Your ‘Amy Joe’

At the end of the day, a little compassion – even from strangers – would go a long way. Amy Joe would still be stuck in a rut if Greg didn’t bother to approach her or say hello; in a way, one could say he helped save her life just by paying attention to her.

The world would be a better place if one doesn’t turn a blind eye to those in need; if we start helping one another, like how Greg did with this wonderful woman, there’d be more room for happiness. All we need to do is find our very own ‘Amy Joe,’ and start from there.