Greetings from Chicago!

I am writing from a hotel rooom in the west suburbs of of the Windy City. My in-laws took me and Katie here to see the annual air and water show and to see some other sites in the city. I have been here before about 2 years ago. Each time I visit I am struck by the street beggers. Oh, they are in KC too, but not to the same degree. In our city they show up in one mode primarily, that is sitting at a busy intersection with a sign asking for money. And there is some of that here in Chicago too, quite a bit actually. But another type is the street musician/begger. These people appear primarily in the subway underground. They usually perform alone and usually are not terribly talented. But I appreciate these type of people. Unlike the breed in KC, they are trying to work for their pay, so to speak. I can give money with a good conscience to them. I recall the passage, "if a man will not work, neither let him eat." Though this was written to the church, the principal applies to all I think. Those who are not willing to even try to add value through labor or thought are those who are not willing to work, and are those who should not benefit from that lack. So, I have enjoyed the performers on this trip, as I did the last one. And I have felt like it would even be a good thing to go out of my way to reward such people as their line of thinking seems to be lacking in some cities!