Hunger that Gives Strength

I had always been complaining - to no one.  At least not to a human being.  But to someone Supreme. The Supreme Provider - I call Him that.

I complain at why would others have their baskets full at grocery stores while I can just go home with a little. I complain at why others would talk about having delicious dishes their previous meals while I only had those simple fried or boiled dishes for my household.  I complain about why others enjoy travel around the world but I have limited budget for such.  I complain about how others have so much while I am drowning in debt.

I almost always had no answers except to simply live each day working, earning, eating, sleeping. Until this morning when I got to see a powerful image that up to this time lingers in my mind.

I entered a cafeteria and ordered their budget meal - one vegetable dish, a meat dish, soup and soft drinks.  There are a lot of others customers having the similar meal as mine.  The cost is Php 35 per meal, Php 50 with the soda.  Soon, a case for empty soda bottled were filled in a corner.

A man entered.  Obviously very hungry.  And haggard with the dirty clothes on him.  He gathered the straw from the empty bottles and placed them on his basket.  Must be for sale.  Those plastics could cost a cent.  Then he let the left over liquid from each "empty" bottles into one.  Soon he had a near full bottle which he drank..  Seemingly satisfied, he went out of the cafe.

I immediately realized he was there to teach me a lesson.  How better is it for me than this man that I should not be in a position to complain.

In his hunger, he saw fullness in the supposedly empty bottles at the corner.  I wish the man would always find help.  I wish I had that grace of seeing fullness in my emptiness.

I wish...