Homeless
It’s truly amazing what can be discovered when we really seek to understand someone instead of just looking at them from a superficial perspective. I believe we have to make a commitment to getting to know the poor and treating them with respect and dignity. It is a great lesson to learn the life of the poor and needy.
I, myself have been homeless three times, and the saying " You can be one pay check away from being Homeless" is true. I use to hide my poverty, because it wasn't excepted in our society. Living in my car under the bridge, I kept all my clothes and personals there. I would wash up at a park's restroom, and then go into work, no one new the wiser. I was living a double life, because society doesn't what to hear this type of story. Life is hard and certain situations could put you in a bad spot, and then you have to begin to climb yourselves out of the hole. One of things that people don't understand is the mental state, that one goes through, going through so much. I've know other veterans that experience the same out come, because of lack of support system put in place. If we could only see beyond the visuals and imperfections, then we uncover discoveries that change all our lives.
It’s so inhumane how we can just brush across a homeless person, and not even think of them as people. But everyone has a story. No one is perfect. When I was on the street, it would take a special person to approach me. That person knew they would be opening a door, taking a chance. And I would be touch dearly for any chance of opportunity, (to start climbing out that hole). All people are people and all have a heart – I never forget that.The problem isn't totally being Homeless and the conditions that come with it, it's taking the time to know each individual on the street. If you just think about it, it's the emotional connection that doesn't exists. What happen if you don't have the support of your parents of family to put a roof over your head. We all have these social needs, the need to belong, or to love and be loved. Being loved is at its peak when we open up, share your true feelings, and find out that the other person accepts us and empathizes with us. This alone creates emotional intimacy between two people. When that need for love and that emotional intimacy are met, then people are happy and they become fulfilled. Most probably, the biggest factor in a person’s quality of life is the quality of their relationships. Actually, if our social needs are not met, our moods get worse, even if we experience success in other areas of our life.
I have lived the Homeless life and know what goes on the streets, it's easy to assume the terrible conditions, without knowing each individual story. Just like me, a lot of my friends, we have come back from war, and had no place to go, when we came back. I must say that negative emotions are an inevitable part of life because there are times wherein we feel that life is not always fair or just. We face not only disappointments growing in numbers but also countless hurts that breaks our heart. People who do not experience emotional intimacy feel lonely, isolated and they experience chronic negative emotions. In spite of being financially stable having all the material needs and resources, people still succumb to addiction, violence, child abuse, depression, divorce, crime and other self-defeating behaviours. Most of them who suffer from these problems I must say are not experiencing hunger or not even homeless but they are suffering from chronic emotional stress. The Homeless person, just needs the assurance of another person and that there is someone who stands by his/her side to go through all these things, that everything will be okay. The importance that emotional intimacy can play in a person’s life is what will give that person emotional support which will make him/her a whole person in the real sense of the word itself. The question is who is willing to step out of their comfort zone, and be a Good Samaritan, and give emotional support.
I, myself have been homeless three times, and the saying " You can be one pay check away from being Homeless" is true. I use to hide my poverty, because it wasn't excepted in our society. Living in my car under the bridge, I kept all my clothes and personals there. I would wash up at a park's restroom, and then go into work, no one new the wiser. I was living a double life, because society doesn't what to hear this type of story. Life is hard and certain situations could put you in a bad spot, and then you have to begin to climb yourselves out of the hole. One of things that people don't understand is the mental state, that one goes through, going through so much. I've know other veterans that experience the same out come, because of lack of support system put in place. If we could only see beyond the visuals and imperfections, then we uncover discoveries that change all our lives.
It’s so inhumane how we can just brush across a homeless person, and not even think of them as people. But everyone has a story. No one is perfect. When I was on the street, it would take a special person to approach me. That person knew they would be opening a door, taking a chance. And I would be touch dearly for any chance of opportunity, (to start climbing out that hole). All people are people and all have a heart – I never forget that.The problem isn't totally being Homeless and the conditions that come with it, it's taking the time to know each individual on the street. If you just think about it, it's the emotional connection that doesn't exists. What happen if you don't have the support of your parents of family to put a roof over your head. We all have these social needs, the need to belong, or to love and be loved. Being loved is at its peak when we open up, share your true feelings, and find out that the other person accepts us and empathizes with us. This alone creates emotional intimacy between two people. When that need for love and that emotional intimacy are met, then people are happy and they become fulfilled. Most probably, the biggest factor in a person’s quality of life is the quality of their relationships. Actually, if our social needs are not met, our moods get worse, even if we experience success in other areas of our life.
I have lived the Homeless life and know what goes on the streets, it's easy to assume the terrible conditions, without knowing each individual story. Just like me, a lot of my friends, we have come back from war, and had no place to go, when we came back. I must say that negative emotions are an inevitable part of life because there are times wherein we feel that life is not always fair or just. We face not only disappointments growing in numbers but also countless hurts that breaks our heart. People who do not experience emotional intimacy feel lonely, isolated and they experience chronic negative emotions. In spite of being financially stable having all the material needs and resources, people still succumb to addiction, violence, child abuse, depression, divorce, crime and other self-defeating behaviours. Most of them who suffer from these problems I must say are not experiencing hunger or not even homeless but they are suffering from chronic emotional stress. The Homeless person, just needs the assurance of another person and that there is someone who stands by his/her side to go through all these things, that everything will be okay. The importance that emotional intimacy can play in a person’s life is what will give that person emotional support which will make him/her a whole person in the real sense of the word itself. The question is who is willing to step out of their comfort zone, and be a Good Samaritan, and give emotional support.
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