[Aloysius]

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Before saying anything I'll get this out of the way: I'm one of those guys who thinks everything we do is ultimately done with the intention of benefiting ourselves

My stance on panhandlers and charity in general is about the same as yours. Doing charitable things makes me feel good, but there are more effective ways to be charitable than by giving to panhandlers IMO. The more effective, the better it makes me feel

However I could see myself maybe doing the exact same thing you did OP. And I reckon, even if this was not the most effective way to be charitable (I would think 10 minutes of my time and $10 could be more effective spent in other ways), I would still maybe do this. I would get more out of it because I actually get to do it in person, and see the reaction on her face, etc.

So it sounds like maybe in this case, because of the way she asked you, you predicted the 'in-person benefit' would be larger than normal

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The tone of the OP is quite self-aggrandizing and a bit precious, which leads me to believe the above is more true than any paradigm shift / newfound maturity.

Not to be overly cynical, but from what I've seen these "above and beyond" moments of charity are more contextually driven (e.g. one has the time, or just in a particularly giving mood) then a signifier of any real change in the person. And it's usually much more about the person feeling good about himself, than it is about helping someone.

-Al