Need to Beg

I've never seen more beggars on the streets than I do in Florida and it always leaves me wondering if there is ever any true need to resort to begging. Most beggars look like drunks inbetween binges and that explains their need but what about the neater beggars?

There is welfare, food banks, and shelters provided by every municipality but is it enough? We hear stories about beggars who make more money in a day than the average working person makes. We hear stories about beggars living in houses most of us can't afford to live in. Some of these stories are no doubt true but still, is it ever really a necessity of life to need to beg for food?

I never give money to beggars but feel a sense of guilt as I pass them by, wondering if they will go hungry because of my cold heart. There's no way I'd hand over hard earned money to pay for a beggar's next beer and that's the thought I console myself with.

I wish a government funded researcher would find out just how many of these beggars are in true need and how many are bogus. I also wonder why beggars are always asking for money and not jobs...especially the neat ones.

There probably never will be a time when I hand cash to a beggar but I'm leaning toward buying them a meal. My heart is softening.