Skip to main content

Lessons to learn

I read a book called stone cold by Robert Swindell. It was about homelessness, I have never read a book about homelessness so it was refreshing. It certainly made me think about my attitude to homelessness and question why I see it they way I do. 

I am glad I was able to see it from another perspective because although it was fiction it's very possible it's similar to those experiencing homelessness. 

Although it was a short book it made me think a lot, and it's been a long time since a book made me think. Think about my actions, the way I treat others, the way others view themselves. 

I used to think being homeless was unfortunate I have never been horrible to anyone on the streets, only sceptical. 
The reason being, there are many people who scam others for addiction and extra money, and this over time has made me sceptical to majority of the people asking for money. Aswell as the worry that if I give some ill be followed or hassled for more.

Despite this the book has made me consider a few things  1) my perceptions are good for me but ultimately effect the person who is rejected, with this perception I keep myself in a bubble with no want to help others 2) I am shutting out the people who may really need help 3) a pound or ten pence can make a difference to someone homeless 
4) the people who need help are not at fault, and neither are the people who are addicted it's a dog eat dog world although I don't want to fuel an addiction , it's important to realise people are people we all need love and understanding (not to say I should give money for addiction I'm just saying) And therefore they shouldn't be judged.

I felt sad at the end of the book because Link doesn't get off the streets and stupidly we expect a happy ending because it's a fiction book, but the reality is it doesn't happen, once homeless it's hard to get off without help. Without support, without being clean or help from
The government how do people get jobs or a place to stay? What if the government decide you don't meet the requirement  for support because you 'made yourself homeless'.

What exactly does 'make yourself homeless' mean? What if you live in an abusive household and you run away? Is that really a choice? As a child you receive help but what if you don't know where to go? What if you get evicted because of a drug addiction? Addictions are hard to overcome without the proper help and support. See these government guidelines are black and white and they don't look at the grey, and this where problems happen.

I think even when I'm on the train and I see beggars I don't look down on them, no, god no. I think ...it's a hard life, but then it's harsh, ignoring homeless people like they don't exist. It's sad. And we should acknowledge it. Hiding from it doesn't solve it. We are all afraid of being fooled. I think we all think like that, we are all sceptics , it's this rational world. World of 'science' with our evolved thinking and our street smarts, 'we know they're liars '.

But before we run off with our revolutionarised thoughts it might be good to think about all the positives caring and kindness does as much as cautiousness and knowing your stuff is good it makes us heartless too, now in this world, heartlessness gets money but not happiness. Give me a million pounds and I would reject it for happiness and I can guarantee you would too. 

So how about this, how about maybe we give them a chance, maybe find out before we judge, I'm not exception I need some courage too, because I'm shy I don't ask, I suppose I assume, but one assumption can lead to generalisations and they re never good.

One act follows many, and so I hope we can all get courage to care more and grow with the people we live with, in this scary world. And maybe we can all get a little bit of happiness. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Solace

I'm tellin  you , it's this world it does funny things t you , messes with yo head. And that's why you gotta find solace. Solace in God, fool!  Don't be talking about no stay gram or cult. God is thee only one that gone help you out of your mess!  Don't be kiddin' yoself thinkin' 'ahh Joseph gone come round' and help me outta' this rut' naw damn well he aint! only God gone be there when life gets drawn out thin, you think Joseph gone be there when you die, fool? Don't be living and dyin by yo friends, Listen to yo old grandpa, when he say I been living for a long time na, and I learnt the world makes you think funny old things, things you would never think before , things like I ain't pretty no more or that girl is betterr than me. Or my frend is my worl'. Things no sane person would think! You hear? Even Things like the colour of my skinn determines my worth naw you see? This world it messes you UP. It gets inside yo skin and dig...

First Eid

It's the first Eid I havent in a long time been to Eid prayer at the mosque, this time I prayed it at home. It's also the first time I went to the cemetery on Eid. I went to visit my Dad. It's weird seeing a slab stone with his name- what's funny is we couldn't find it and we found another stone with his name but the age was wrong and the date of his death, it's funny how two people can die with the same names and different times and mean so much to different people. It's funny how I stared at the stone trying to make more of my Dad than just words written down, than just letters that make up his name, and numbers that make up his age, and everything and nothing that makes up the memory of him. It seems like the memory of him is a distant memory eventhough it was last year he was alive. Why does it feel like he didn't really exist? Why does it feel like he vanished? It was last year he wanted to talk to me, it was last year I was doing nursing, it was ...

Happy music

Life takes us through so many hurdles, so many journeys so many discoveries of ourselves. Do we ever just sit and think about how we came to be the person that we are now? I know I have been through a whirlwind of different personalities, different phases, feelings, thoughts, dreams. However I have remained somewhat constant- what I admire about myself is that I believe in myself (not necessarily my abilities) but I believe and support my actions regardless, and ... I'm glad I have strong principles, I guess it makes me who I am. Despite what I've had to sacrifice for them. Over the years I've always wondered who I'd be. In fact when I was younger I would dream of how I would be when I was older. (Older being past 20's) I'd imagine I would magically transform into this strong, independent, accomplished woman. And it would somehow come to be at this magical transition to adulthood. Oh how I would tell myself it's not that simple. Life is not that simple. W...