
I went to Chicago this weekend. It was a transforming visit. The primary purpose of the trip was to attend the Chicago Gospel Music Festival (which was awesome!). However, it was also to get away and have some time to think.
As soon as I arrived downtown, I was struck (as always) by the homeless men and women begging in the street corners. One woman especially made an impression on me. She had a sign that indicated that she was homeless and please help her and her son. She sat with her head in her hands. I’m not sure if she was just tired or didn’t want to show her homeless face to the world.
The thing is, we need to see the faces of the homeless. “We” being middle to upper class citizens who can go weeks or months without stepping foot in an area that has any resemblance of poverty (aside from poverty of the soul). It’s so easy to forget when you’re in your cozy suburb miles away from the closet housing project or city center.
I love the InvisiblePeople blog because they’re trying to do just that. Trying to put names and faces to the generic term “homeless.” Trying to show that they’re humans like you and me with feelings and hopes and dreams.
I wanted to do something for that woman. Perhaps buy a Noodles & Company gift card and put it in her cup. But I didn’t do it. I’m not sure why. Probably fear. Fear of the unknown. I haven’t spent a whole lot of time with homeless people. I mostly ignore them and move on. With a little twinge of guilt and sadness.
On my last afternoon in Chicago, I decided to go sit by the Buckingham Fountain and read my book (How to Change the World) for a while . Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man moving from group to group selling something. I secretly hoped that he wouldn’t come over to me, but he did. The conversation went something like this:
“Now, I’m a good guy. Don’t start cussing me out or anything. I’m homeless and selling magazines to raise money. They’re shutting down the shelters around here. Are you from Chicago?”
“No, I’m from the Milwaukee area.”
“So what do your homeless do?”
“I don’t know,” was the honest but painfully embarrassing response.
“Well, we have these two papers,” he said, holding up the Onion and some other paper.
“Which one would you recommend?”
“Definitely this one,” he said, pointing to the Onion. “It lists what’s going on in town and stuff.”
“OK. How much?” (I start digging through my wallet.)
“Oh, five dollars.” (I have a ten and a twenty.)
“Or how about a ten. Could you give a ten?” (I hand him the ten.)
“God bless you. Would you like me to take your picture or anything?”
“No that’s OK.” He gives me a hug and moves on to the couple on the next bench.
From this encounter, all I could think about was “what do your homeless do?” and “I don’t know.”
I don’t know. I should, but I don’t. It made me realize that I’ve been a little off track the past couple of months. What was I thinking with this golf thing? That I would take the time to learn a game when I don’t even know what our homeless do? Spend hundreds of dollars on lessons and gear for what? So I can move in the right circles? I’m thinking the circles I need to move in are downtown.
It was a rude awakening, but a good one. The book I’m reading helped as well. It describes the work of dozens of “social entrepreneurs” who dedicate their lives to changing the world in a positive way. From bringing electricity to rural Brazil, to fighting AIDS in South Africa, to helping disabled people live normal lives in Eastern Europe.
Change is good. Change is needed.
“Be the change that you want to see in the world.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
Hey… I hear ya.. some of the homeless here in Nashvegas have started to sell a newspaper about the homeless here… – it’s very cool http://homelessness.change.org/blog/view/nashvilles_street_paper_thriving_in_down_economy
Hope all is well..
That is super cool! Thanks for sharing.
Very honest post. I hope that in our lifetime we will be able to see the end of homelessness.
Also, funny how he described “The Onion”!
I know. That was awesome! I think if society can focus on the underlying problems that cause homelessness, there is certainly hope. How about starting with good nutrition and education for all children? Imagine the possibilities…
Good blog. Being homeless for the last 7 months you experience a huge range of emotions. I think many of us want to feel “normal”, feel productive. Especially in today’s world where people you see you would have no clue that they are homeless. Attitudes need to change as well. I did a twitter search earlier for “homeless”. Found 30 tweets of which 29 were mocking or put downs. “I look like a homeless person today”. “I just saw a funny looking homeless guy ha ha” did they really need to tweet that?
I was homeless 9 months in 2001z. I pulled myself up and out and lost everything in 2009. Life can be crul
Thanks for sharing! I certainly hope that things look up real soon. And totally agree that attitudes need to change on so many levels…
I will be homeless, in 1 week of August,2011. I lost my job in Washington, DC when the crash came in 2008 and again in 2010. I was government contractor.
I lost my home, car, and all that I had. I feel like the system has failed me although I played the game and stuck by the rules.
If I ever get back to work. I will never support anything in the system again.
Signed
MadAsHell-Don
Hi Don. That is terrible! I agree that “the system” is not our friend when times are tough. I am about to start a micro-business. Do you have any unique skills where you could start your own rather than relying on the establishment? I was leafing through What Color Is Your Parachute at B&N yesterday, and it has some good tips for getting started with a different career.