To stand in front of a complete stranger and ask him/her to give you some money no matter how much is an act that needs a lot of guts or a lot of desperation. Whether one reached this stage because of old age or any kind of disability; it is still not easy to decide to go out there and ask people for help without knowing what to expect.

Sometimes; hardships of life forces some people to choose this path and we really cannot blame them for not being able to provide for themselves, and at the same time don’t have anyone to provide for them; there should be some institutions to take care of this sector and make sure that they live with dignity and pride instead of subject themselves to humiliation and insults from others.

On the other hand; there is a completely different type of beggars. It is those who chose to beg for a living and not out of necessity; it has become a profession that they pass from one generation to another.

Tonight as I was coming home, my sister wanted to buy a KFC meal so we went to their drive through just around 6th circle. As we were driving in, 3 brothers that looked 1 year a part from each other ran to us extending their hands and their mouths working with insincere prays for us to save our souls and our loved ones. Those were 7-10 year olds and they have already mastered the profession to the finest detail.

Just as I was turning towards my sister; I saw the kids’ mother lurking there in the darkness with yet another child on her arm. She wore a veil on her face and tried to come to us and started the same ritual her kids did just a minute ago.

You may wonder how I figured they were a mother and her own kids. Well; it is like “honor among thieves” concept; beggars do not cross territories and they have to be working together to be in the same area. At that hour; only a mother and her kids would be bold enough to come forward and emotionally blackmail passersby and buyers from the place they chose as their target.

What bugged me the most is that the kids looked healthy enough to be well fed and well taken care of; it is true that their clothes were not that good but I guess it is like wearing a lab coat when you are working in the lab; what I mean to say is that their clothes are a part of the business and image. Also; the mother had a good build and was not skinny or weak; she seemed strong and healthy just like her kids were.

This is a phenomenon that is spreading widely in our society and that is not a good sign. I never ever offer money to these types and I never respond to their begging attempts because if I did, I would be encouraging them to continue taking our hard earned money by using this cheap method.

You can really tell when you see someone in real need; most of the time they don’t beg and try to sell you any small item like gum or biscuits to save their dignity and pride. I always remember the Chinese proverb when I see a beggar in the street or walking around parking lots or malls; it goes like this: Give me a fish and you have fed me for one day; teach me how to fish and you have fed me for life. It makes me feel so sad when I see these kids leaving their studies and school to learn the begging profession; they are giving up on the possibility of becoming doctors or pilots to become beggars who live off others’ hard earned money.

Next time you see a beggar, look closer to decide if he/she is genuine and then make up your minds if you want to give them money or try to make a difference by not indulging in such acts that benefit no one, especially you!