I think we forget that nearly all Americans would be happier with money than nearly anything else. When asked what the average American wants for his/her/their birthday, they will likely say money. Some people ask for time; in our capitalist society, time is money since the opportunity cost of an hour of rest is an hour less work on your paycheck (unless you’re salary). Yet, we resent this attitude about money with people panhandling on the street. If we give out food or clothes and someone asks if we have money, we probably feel a tinge of resentment. A popular thought to cross many minds, “Why can you just be grateful for what I’ve given you?”

I know the thought occurred to me fairly recently, and my stream of thoughts can’t be that separate from others. I was driving home on a cold, late morning. As I was exiting 71…