Men can only be equal on the Day we are all Equal,

"the truth is not always Beautiful, nor beautiful Words the truth"

Lao Tzu

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

Albert Pine

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Stark realities of homelessness,

There is something that I often don't talk about with reference to homelessness, the reason I don't talk about it is because of the fact that I am no longer addicted, and i am free from the plague of substance abuse, I however am surrounded by people who are, so I fell like it is something I must address.
Many view homeless people as addicted, and broken and individuals beyond help, or unable to help themselves, and people often say God helps those who help themselves, I've even heard people without any proclamation of faith say these exact words, and there is no truth in this, as a person of faith I know God Helps anyone who cares to cry out to Him.
But that is not what I am addressing I am addressing this from the homeless perspective because i am not so far removed from the problem that I do not understand the stark realities that accompany being homeless.
when one is Homeless they are often confronted with a felling of helplessness as to the reality of their daily existence.
there is also what I would most like to convey to people a great deal of depression associated with the overwhelming feelings of loneliness and despair, that are prevalent in your daily struggle and that is what people seem to least understand, I have had people say if it where me i would just pick myself up by the bootstraps and go on, and I will tell you you live a life of comfort, and ease and no you would not, like any of us out here you would spend your day looking hoping or begging for your next meal. 
And when you had accomplished that feat, you would then try to provide some amount of comfort to yourself, and that comes in many forms for some it is drugs for some a drink but at the end of the day, it is just something to keep your mind off of the reality of who you have become, and to convince yourself that your dreams are still achievable.
If any believe that it is a simple thing to beat this monster of indignity is because they have never experienced the indignity itself.  But ask yourselves this how many times have you avoided the eyes  of some poor homeless beggar, from the fear that he might ask you to part with a small portion of your abundance,
and for those that have little it, is a little thing, because in all of my years out Here on the streets of this great country. I have found, those who are in the poorest position to give are the most giving.
I have in my Homeless life, been spat on by a man in an Mercedes, and what i know was a tailored three piece suit.
and it is not something of an anomaly for someone who is homeless to experience, once you've been out here as long as I have there is nothing new under the sun.
and it is this feeling of being so much less of a person and of so little value to the rest of the world that is the true battle of regaining ones place in this world that the homeless are faced with, the addiction is a simple thing once you have returned to them their value as a human being.
But when Men in Higher positions in this life have confronted you with the fact that you are a broken beyond repair Human being for long enough you begin to believe it.
So next time anyone passes by a homeless person on the street you have the choice are you going to give unto them dignity with a look or a hello or even a smile or are you going to add to the indignity by pretending they do not exist? 
I now am able to say to myself daily Praise God for what I have and with the blessing He has Given Me and the depth of my understanding of Mankind and what drives them beyond measure I am now at peace in all of my abundance, I wouldn't trade my life for any of yours, I will however Pray For everyone equally from the poor beggar to the, Kings of this world.
God bless you one and all.  

2 comments:

  1. Joseph,

    This is a beautifully written expression of what it must be like to be homeless and to feel seemingly hopeless.

    There is not anyone out there who can't be helped.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just Beautiful My Dear Friend!

    ReplyDelete

Be Civil please