Not Enough

The other day I was driving down the road with my two girls in the back.  As we came up on an intersection I noticed a young woman with a sign.  It said something like "help me leave your city".  My 8 yr old read it outloud as we waited for the light to turn green.  I noticed that she had on a very full backpack.  She had on layers of worn clothes. On the ground next to her was another small bag and a violin.  It was the violin that made me read the sign then look at the girl holding it.  So young.  She was so young, maybe 18 or so.  The light turned and we started to drive and then that discontent that makes your heart ache.  I looked for a place to turn around.  I drove around the block.  Not sure what I was going to do.  I had two kids in the car.  She was on an island away from the sidewalk.  I prayed for a stop light.  I got it.  I stopped.  Then started to wave at her to come over...I grabbed my wallet and pulled out a dollar. No.  A five and rolled down the window.  She came over, I told her I noticed her violin.  She said she wished she could play me a song.  I said it was okay, and wished her luck.   She thanked me and I started to drive away as the light had turned and there was a line of cars behind me waiting to move. 

I drove away, and wished I could have asked her name, how and why she was there.  Where she was going, who she was.  Instead I connected because she played the violin.  She was going somewhere and her music was probably her solace.  The one posession she valued most. When I passed back through the intersection awhile later. She was gone.  We did something, but it feels like it was not enough.