But for the grace of God. . .

Seeing him reminded me of the years I worked in downtown Indy and the number of homeless people who roamed the streets. The president of our company was on the board of the Salvation Army and many of the people I worked with volunteered at various functions of that organization. We also volunteered at The Wheeler Mission.

But, those are not the folks that stick in my memories. The ones I remember are like "Lilly." She rolled her shopping cart around the downtown area. She wore a ragged brown coat and bright red knit hat. She huddled around her cart, usually muttering to herself and occasionally let out a screech at someone passing too close to her cart.

There was the "penny man" who sat on one of the steps of the Monument downtown. On warm sunny days, many people filled those steps eating their lunches, talking and laughing. But the steps around the penny man were noticeably bare. He would call out to everyone who passed by, "got a penny, I need a penny, got a penny?"

I once saw a little boy refuse to move on with his mother until she gave him a handful of pennies to give to the man. The stubborn little boy and gnarly man's eyes met as the boy threw the pennies into the plastic cup. "Bless you, sonny," said the penny man.

"No sir," replied the boy. "Bless you."

After that day I always dropped my pennies into the penny man's cup anytime I saw him. I would have put other money in but he only accepted pennies.

But, the homeless person that most stands out in my memory is that of a woman who sat in the park across the street from the Indianapolis Star building. On cold days she would be inside the library.

One afternoon when I was in the library doing some research she sat down across from me.

"So, you like old buildings, do you?" she said looking me straight in the eye.

I smiled uncomfortably and explained I was looking for some old photos of our company because it was celebrating a centennial soon.

"I use to love to look up information for my customers, but that was before," she sighed.

"Before what?" I asked thinking I'd never get back to my office if she kept talking to me.

"Before I lost my job and my kids," she said quietly. "I use to be a librarian. But then my husband died and later my library cut staff. I didn't have a job. I couldn't take care of my kids and the state took them after I was evicted."

Having said that, she abruptly got up and walked away. I was left somewhat dumbstruck. "There go I but for the grace of God," popped into my head. I went back to my office without finishing my research.

I use to see her from time to time and would nod and smile at her. But, she never looked at me or spoke.

Recently several people were laid off at one of my old companies. Two of them are single moms with no other income and both had worked for this company for at least ten years. I was a single mom for many years and can imagine the anxiety and fear that came not knowing where the next paycheck would come.

Not only do you have to worry about yourself but your children. How do you feed them, clothe them and keep them warm at night?

So many people are only one or two paychecks away from being able to pay their bills or even put food on the table. It is a scary thought.

Wasn't there a time when companies took care of people? Today it seems everything is about the bottom line. Of course, companies have to make money and have to invest in improvements but isn't investing in people one of the best ways to reap benefits.

I've worked for some very good companies who ended up eliminating jobs because of mergers, buyouts or going public. Why does a company lay off people in order to cut costs? There must be other ways to save money or cut expenses than to lose workers.

And, who pays for it in the end? Those of us who can and do pay taxes end up shouldering much of the burden.

One-third of all the homeless today are people who have jobs. They are the poorest of the working poor, with jobs that pay so little that they can't even afford a house to live in!

Whole families are homeless, while the parents try to feed children with jobs that pay minimum wage. Requests for assisted housing by low income families and individuals increased last year by 86 percent. I can't image what it will rise to this year.

Everyday we hear about more and more people being laid off and companies closing. As they close, a domino effect begins causing other companies to decline and more workers being unemployed.

I have no answers. I am going to say many more prayers for those less fortunate than I.

And, I am going to remember everyday, there go you or I but for the grace of God.