Peace, Love and Blessings to my faithful readers and followers of my column. I am out here on location, on the streets of Washington, D.C., collecting data, observing, and actually living the life and experiencing things as do people without housing. And it’s real! It’s not fake or pretentious. Right or wrong, it is what it is — all about the Benjamins, that mighty, mighty dollar.
Funny, though, because you can’t take it with you when you die. I don’t think, at least. I’ve never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul. I have a passion to love and help all, and it’s challenging as well as dangerous sometimes.
Am I my brother’s keeper? Early in the morning, in the middle of the day, or even late at night, things remain stressful and challenging for those with unstable housing, the homeless. Where to find rest, where to eat, where to find a restroom so you can take care of normal bodily functions: All these are constant struggles, and they deeply sadden my heart.
Compassion is something we seem to have very little of for our fellow human beings who live with the daily struggle of homelessness. I watch now, even as I write, a human being seeking refuge from the cold and wind. I gaze out of the window as they wander aimlessly, in need of assistance. Yes, I observe almost every restaurant has doggy bags and treats for stray dogs. As a lover of animals, I am grateful for that kind of compassion, but equally astonished and dismayed that a forgotten and ignored segment of the people is disallowed the opportunity of food, clothing and shelter as well as the use of public facilities.
I find such a common practice to be deeply disturbing. How would you feel if it were happening to you or your loved ones? It is especially disturbing to this United States Marine Corps veteran — that this happens to veterans and that we are such an alarmingly high percentage of the homeless population. The problems of the world are systemic.
Come on, people! Taxpayers, productive members of society, concerned citizens — where are you? Do you care? Do you really think you are exempt, are totally oblivious to the fact of how easily you, too, could be catapulted into the ever-increasing ranks of the homeless?
WAKE UP!
