I’ve been carrying around a very disturbing pain. For 15 plus years on and off I’ve been homeless. I can’t shake it out of my head – I see it every day I come out to sell Street Sense. I know some of these people, having been out there with them years ago, struggling every day, every hour. Some of you have seen it too, have been there from the beginning and working until retirement while they are still out there when you are gone.
Some older men and women are past their prime and homeless – not due to any abuse, drugs, or drinking – but by sudden loss of a partner that was the breadwinner of the family. Life can be very cruel to significant others left without insurance or a legal document that designates the significant other as their beneficiary. They shared life together when it mattered most to each other, but never prepared for each other’s departure. Death comes to us all, it’s promised since our first breath.
Entering the realm of the homeless, some people try to keep their moral teachings, wits, and appearance up while not being ashamed and not believing this is happening – that they are homeless.. Thinking it’s just a phase that doesn’t last. The harsh reality of the world settles in and breaks you when you are completely alone. Survival instincts kick in. You do whatever it takes to survive, to stay sane. Maybe start hustling, begging, robbing, drinking or even getting in with the wrong crowd. You don’t have to be weak to develop depression or other mal effects on mental health. You can become angry without knowing at what, sometimes never being able to return to a regular lifestyle.
It doesn’t matter how smart, strong, decent, or godly a life someone has lived. If they are not prepared to take care of themselves in the event that they end up alone, they are vulnerable and many people on the streets are there for that very reason. Once one steps into the realm of the homeless they become a pawn for organizations and politicians and treated as a nuisance to society at one point or another.
There are plenty of people that danced on the edge, some falling in but coming out at the level of society’s standards.
Reporters confirm these problems still exist. They are telling the truth, I’ve been there. They need to continue with this coverage until powerful organizations clean this up, until there are no problems. These people are still part of the foundation of society which has fundamentally agreed to feed and take care of those in need. One doesn’t need to come from a famous family or be integrated into a vital part of our society, we just need to take care of everyone. There can be no perfect society without all those within it being accounted for.
