Life is full of surprises. Just when you think you’re beaten and you’ve lost everything, opportunities knock and luck greets you with open arms. It’s exactly what happened to a Spanish homeless man who had spent 25 years living alone on the street.
Jose Antonio never thought that he’d find himself living a normal life again.
With all those years he spent on the streets, his life turned for the worse. He had severe clinical depression. He lost interest in activities that usually made him happy and he had a hard time focusing. His energy was super low.
Living on the streets meant that he no longer has to pay rent or utilities. However, he still had to work so that he can have food and such.
He worked in the town plaza by helping people park their vehicles.
Despite his condition, Jose showed a really great work ethic. He became known in the area as the “Spirit of The Square”. His closest friends, however, had a different nickname for him.
Unfortunately, Jose suffered from more serious health issues. He had problems with his vision and hearing. Even his feet were making him feel uncomfortable.
With all the negative things happening to Jose, one man came to give him a chance at life.
A local barber named Salva Garcia thought of giving Jose a makeover. He noticed how disheveled he looked and felt that a change in appearance would uplift the homeless man’s appearance.
Jose agreed to the free makeover right away.
He was pretty excited about it. After all, it was his first hair cut and shave in more than a decade.
Salva didn’t just give Jose a free haircut. He actually took his makeover to the next level by changing his entire look.
He cut Jose’s hair and dyed it. He even trimmed his eyebrows and gave him an entirely new outfit.
When it was time for Jose to see his new look, he was quite nervous and excited. He sat down with the barber and felt really excited to get started.
However, when he was asked to look at himself in the mirror, he didn’t recognize his own reflection. He had to take a closer look to recognize the man staring back at him.
Then, Jose’s eyes filled with tears.
It was then that he realized how nearly three decades had passed and how lost he was. From a really productive electrician, he became just a shadow.
Good thing that Salva gave him that makeover. He was able to change Jose’s perception of himself. The minute he saw his new look, it was like a brand new life for him.
Sometimes, negativity can get the best of us. It takes our focus off of our goals and leaves us feeling hopeless and helpless.
In such cases, a nudge in the right direction can help. In Jose’s case, it was his new look that encouraged him to get a fresh start in life.
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