The most important study break you'll ever take

As I sit here trying to comprehend the encounter I just had, my news feed is bombarded with

"Stress is an understatement"

"Finals had me like..."

"T-minus 4 days until I'm free"

"Caffeine is my new multi-vitamin #finals"

And other similar feelings, complaints and exclamations regarding finals week, Canvas being shut down, the amount of adderall and coffee being consumed, and plain SAVE OUR SHIP requests.
And while, I share many of the same feelings as my fellow college students and future college grads are expressing,
I'm taking my study break to write about a man that I met today.
I'm writing about Jason White. 
I'd guesstimate he's in his early 30's/late 20's.
A father
A widower of 2 1/2 months after his wife was killed by a drunk driver
A veteran
A  terminal cancer patient
A soon to be homeless man wandering the streets of Salt Lake without any hope for not only his life but for his only son's future without either parents.

Now let me back up. 

I made a deal with myself a few years ago when I moved to Salt Lake that I would do my best to ask every homeless person I encountered if I could buy them food.
Tonight I took my deal to a whole new level.
What I thought would be a 10 minute side track of my night, buying a homeless man dinner for his son, turned into an indescribable and life changing experience. 
Tonight I conversed with Jason for 45 minutes, as passerbys stared blankly at me whizzing by in their Audi's, puzzled by my conversation with a homeless man outside of Zupas on 500 E.

Jason served our country for 4 years right out of high school to escape his Meth addicted mother who when learning of his terminal cancer replied with, "Good, Go die now."

Jason is a double major college grad.
He's talented with computer sciences and served in the Army on top secret intelligence jobs. Thus signing his life and identity away.

Fast Forward, post service;

His wife is killed.
He is diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer caused by his working conditions while serving his country.
He's sold everything he owned of value, including his car, to attempt at making a dent in his medical bills.
He has retained a lawyer to assist him in receive his benefits from the VA so he can continue chemotherapy and pay for his life-saving medication.
He is around $630 away from his final payment to his lawyer.
Meanwhile he is grieving the loss of his wife, attempting to explain to his son why mommy is not coming home, balancing the threshold between losing his house for good and the taking to the streets, and fighting for his life again.
This time without the support of his country and the government.
The country in which he risked and with soon be giving his life to, to keep safe...
Home of the Free because of the Brave.....

There is nothing patriotic about how Jason has been treated post service.
This is unacceptable.
As I handed him a piece of paper and pen to write down his personal information, he looked me dead in the yes and straight into my soul and asked,
"Why did you stop? You're the first person that has helped me all day..."
I promised him, I would not forget him, or his story.
I would do everything in my power to get him the help he so very much deserves.
I would tell his story.
I would give him a voice.
I would think about him everyday,
I would remember the image of his, tattered clothing, dirty hands, protruding collarbones and shiny, hairless head from chemo as it was burned into my memory.
I promised that I would give a fuck.
I saw a human being.
I saw his alligator tears escaping the corners of his eyes as he tried to hide his heartbreak.

As I drove away from this man, choking back the ever present tears rolling down my cheeks, I had never felt more heartbroken or at a loss.
At the same time, I thought about the realest conversation I have ever shared with a stranger.
I recognized the divine intervention that compelled me to not just drop the bag of food at his feet but to stop, ask him about his story,

Give him a voice.

So while the stress and chaos of finals and graduation are very real,
So is the sickening reality of this world. A world where a war veteran will die of terminal cancer, leaving his only son as an orphan,  because his community and government will not pull over and listen to a sickly man standing on a street corner holding a flimsy cardboard sign.
Please, check your privilege.
 Be grateful for the sleepless nights of studying and endless exam review guides.
And above all, give a fuck.
If you see a man standing at the corner of Zupas with a sign that says "sick with cancer, veteran, father. help"
Please, give your change, give your time, give your compassion.

Good Luck with exams.
Namaste,
The 20-something old soul

*I'm raising money for Jason White. If you are interested in helping me with this endeavor please contact me at brooke.pyper@yahoo.com*

Gratitude and Post grad life

it all just seems to surreal...
I met the love of my life,
I'm graduating college in a month,
I've been accepted into Language Corps where I'll spend a year starting January 2016, in Costa Rica teaching English.

And all the while all I can focus on is my tattoo, a delta, symbolizing Change...

"The only constant in life is change"

Is it ironic that I got this tattoo a little over a year ago and now the meaning behind it has never before been so applicable?

Maybe.

Maybe it's fate or destiny or whatever.
I feel like the luckiest girl in the world,
To be supported in the way I am.
My mother who was the first person I called when finding out about my acceptance into the program, cheering with excitement with my decision to go and promising me to help send my love for a visit.
My person, who was standing in the Smith's aisle perusing the vegetables for our dinner, who, with sad but hopeful eyes, told me how proud he is.

And that despite the long distance and the time apart, that I am his forever. 

That a year is not a big deal in relation to forever.
Telling me to spread my wings and follow my free spirited and independent heart.
It's the way my best friend and roommate squeezed me tight as I sobbed from both excitement, fear, anxiety and happiness regarding the news of my new adventure, followed by, "hello Spring Break 2016 in Costa Rica!"

These people, who love me so deeply, are who inspire me.
What I have learned?
More like, what haven't I learned..
Your family is not decided by shared DNA, They are the people who whole heartedly and unconditionally love you.
They trust you and your wild spirit. And they love you for it.
They will wait for you, and not make you feel guilty for pursuing your Dreams.
Because you are worth it and worthy of love.
And they know that you would do the same thing and more, for them.

"I think the universe is on my side,
 heaven and Earth have finally aligned. 
Life is good,
And that's the way it should be."

Be daring my darlings, This life is oh so good.
Sending so much gratitude to the Universe.
Namaste,
The 20-something old soul