I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but I did it. Maybe I'm a sucker.
I think spending time doubting yourself for performing one of the most basic acts of human kindness is way over thinking things. It only reduces the likely hood you'll do it again, and i think you'd agree the tenderloin is not suffering due to an over-abundance of kindness.
It's hard for me to be sure exactly what negative result you're worried you could have caused. I guess it's probably that by feeding him you're encouraging him to rely on others instead of resolving to seek self sufficiency. By the numbers that's vanishingly improbable - the vast majority of the seriously down and out homeless are suffering from some kind of debilitating mental illness which often gets in the way of even being able to obtain basic social services.
You don't have to help everybody or anybody and however you do help you could have always done more. You can't get wrapped up in that, you did good full stop.
I think spending time doubting yourself for performing one of the most basic acts of human kindness is way over thinking things. It only reduces the likely hood you'll do it again, and i think you'd agree the tenderloin is not suffering due to an over-abundance of kindness.
It's hard for me to be sure exactly what negative result you're worried you could have caused. I guess it's probably that by feeding him you're encouraging him to rely on others instead of resolving to seek self sufficiency. By the numbers that's vanishingly improbable - the vast majority of the seriously down and out homeless are suffering from some kind of debilitating mental illness which often gets in the way of even being able to obtain basic social services.
You don't have to help everybody or anybody and however you do help you could have always done more. You can't get wrapped up in that, you did good full stop.