MEET Natasha

After another 800 miles in the car, I rolled into Lexington, Kentucky last night tired and hungry. But then I met a friend named Natasha. 

Whoops, I mean New Natasha.

We had a long and delicious meal at Cracker Barrel and she shared her story of shelters, couch surfing, family drama, food pantries, and so much more. I believe she might be the most honest, genuine, authentic Kindness Card recipient I’ve ever met.

As you can see in the photo, I broke my rule and gave her some of your Kindness Cash along with a few cards. When I offered it all, her hands flew up to shield her surprise and I had to insist repeatedly that she accept it.

So deserving. So grateful. So ready to change.

Natasha is a college grad with a sensational smile and the most infectious laugh. As we ate, I found myself being as ridiculous as possible just to keep her laughing. But I wasn’t the only one who noticed, others around us seemed equally enchanted.

She readily admitted some mistakes in her younger years, and her challenge is not necessarily finding work, but keeping it. Instead of blaming others, she’s at a stage where she owns her mistakes.

“I need to be more motivated and committed,” she said. “No more excuses.”

We talked about her successes, failures, and how easy it is to give up when you have so little to lose.

I don’t quite know why, but I told her she needed to get back out there and to let the world and potential employers meet the New Natasha.

She laughed, because she’s Natasha, and said she loved the new nickname. 

By the time we said goodbye, she was referring to herself as New Natasha. Obviously, I promised to cheer her on now and forever. 

There are elements of her story that are not appropriate for social media, but I must share some takeaways that I hope are useful to someone, somewhere, somehow.

-Not every homeless/unhoused friend has a drug or alcohol problem. We must stop assuming.

-Mental illness is not who we are, it’s what we have. Cancer, diabetes, and broken arms don’t define us, so neither should mental health. There should be no shame — ever — in getting help and talking about it.

-Shelters can be very dangerous places. A tent in the woods or a box under an overpass, while clearly not ideal, is often safer. Consider that next time you’re annoyed by the sight of them.

-Don’t assume that the friend you work with, live near, or worship with on Sundays isn’t struggling underneath. Often the most lonely and hungry look happy and well fed. “How are you?” shouldn’t just be a greeting in passing, but a genuine extension and expression of love and concern.

-I invited her to cast off the old, to embrace her future, and to not fear change. I think this advice was for me, too.

None of you will probably ever get to meet either the old Natasha or the new one. But trust me, New Natasha is here and she’s ready for more.

More change, more growth, more forgiveness, more resilience.

You got this, New Natasha. I believe in you, and I suspect the Kindness Card movement does too.