"The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination.”
 – Marion Zimmer Bradley, American author

As I walked the five blocks from the hospital to the parking lot, I was filled with despair. I had just witnessed the passing of a friend and, as I approached my car, I barely heard the voice calling out to me. When I turned around I noticed a young man approaching me. As he drew closer I could see that he was frightfully thin and unshaven with dark circles under his eyes.

“Would you happen to have a couple bucks, sir?” he asked with his hand already extended. “I’m a diabetic and I’ve ran out of needles. I need to pick some up at the Safeway Pha...

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