A KIND WORD OR A SMILE.

I was flagged over the other day by this young girl. She was an attractive girl who had her thumb out in a place where you normally wouldn't hitch a ride. I pulled over thinking that maybe she had car problems or something else was needed. She walked up to my working truck window and asked me how I was, and then told me that she was in need of some help and the help would be money. I glanced at her fingers and sure enough they told the story.
She told me that she needed money and that she would do sexual favors in exchange for money.That was a month and a half ago and I have seen her on the streets here and there and my heart hurts every time I talk to her. She is so much thinner now, her clothes are dirty, she has dirt in her hair and she told me that she is getting tired of this life now.
She told me today that she already has been in 3 rehab centre's and the look she had on her face was total hopelessness. When I first talked to her I had told her of my past and that I too was a recovering crack addict, I told her that I will never give her money and for her to never offer me sex in exchange for. I told her that I would feed her and that was it, not give her money for food but to get her some.
Today and every time I talk to her I tell her what a wonderful woman she is and that she is so pretty with such a beautiful personality and I think she responded in her own way. I told her that I can't wait to see her with months of clean time under her belt and that I have faith in her.
I don't know if she has anyone in her life to turn to or look forward to seeing if she gets clean but I am at least someone that she can trust a little, I hope.
Just to listen to her, to respond to her, to give a compliment can't hurt, it can only give someone that push to get them started on the right path to a normal life again.
I would like to believe that wouldn't you?
A kind word, a smile , just might be the start to a wonderful life for someone.