Not everything is as it seems.

I remember as a young child seeing homeless people, they always seemed to be older men and women wearing rags for clothes and sipping on a bottle of something still in the brown paper bag. I always assumed they were mentally disabled. Maybe veterans that came back from the war and had nothing here waiting for them. Or maybe they were mental patients who were released from the hospital and could not function in normal society. But then I am sure some were drug abusers who had lost everything to their addiction. What ever their story was I had a vision of what a homeless person looked like. Well, I am sad to say that that vision for me has been changed.


The past few days I have been doing some work at the house of a friends mother. Each day as I was on my way home, as I crossed the Boulevard, I saw a young woman standing on the island dividing the lanes of traffic. From a distance she appears to be in her early twenties. Her clothes seem to be the same you would see any other woman her age wearing, just a lot dirtier. She holds a sign that reads "Homeless, please help." As I drive past her my mind starts to wander about how she got to this awful point in her life. How is it possible that a young lady like her has no one to take her in and give her a helping hand? A friend or a family member to give her a bed to sleep in or some food to fill her belly. This young woman who has her whole life ahead of hear should not be worrying about where her next meal will be coming from, or where she will be sleeping to keep the rain of her head.


This young lady is not the only nameless person who is in need of help. On our many trips to the city I recall seeing a man, maybe in his fifties holding a sign that read "Homeless Vet. IM not a druggie IM just hungry." I wondered why he felt like he had to assure people that he wasn't some druggie who was just looking for his next fix. Then it occurred to me that so many of us automatically think the worst when we see someone in that setting. Why do we as a society always think the worst of each other? This country has hit rock bottom financially and many hard working people are being forced out of their homes and looking for other options. We cannot continue to turn our backs on these people. They are all human beings that deserve our compassion and generosity.


We must all do what ever we can to help. Now I know times are tough everywhere for everyone. We may not have extra money to give to all the people who need our help, but there are so many other ways you can make a difference. You can donate those old clothes instead of throwing them away. You can make some sandwiches and give them out to people you come across. You can volunteer your time at a soup kitchen or shelter. Sometimes the smallest act of compassion can make the biggest difference. In closing the message I think I am trying to get across is, the next time you see someone living on the street stop and be thankful for all that you have, and remember that if you were in their shoes how grateful you would be if someone took the time to stop and help you. Blessings and Love to you all.