The truest treasure

I was sitting at a traffic light tonight - tired after a twelve hour day at work. As I waited for the light to change, I noticed a homeless woman carrying a bag and a suitcase as she crossed the road in front of me. She looked old and worn, her shoulders slumped, her face sad and defeated. Yet, just as she reached the other side of the street, she was met by a homeless man coming from a different direction whom she appeared to recognize. I watched as her face lit up with joy and recognition. The man dropped his bags and reached forward to gave her a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek. She, too, dropped her belongings to hug and kiss him back - and the burdens of life visibly fell away from her and she was beautiful - her smile beamed the light in her heart for everyone to see. At that moment, she was on top of the world. And I realized as I watched them that the true treasure in this world is not what we own or achieve or our names or our looks. It is the happiness we bring to one another. Even in the worst of times, a friend makes all the difference in the world - if only for one magical moment such as this one.