The world of the homeless!

Homelessness hits anyone! We are all just a step or two away from being homeless and being homeless is a life of despair. “Oh don’t give them money they’ll only spend it on drink and/or drugs” I’ve heard people say. My question to those is:

“How would you cope living the life that they do, is it any wonder these are the things they turn to? Whatever happened to being one community, where has caring about one another gone?”

Recently, I’ve been inspired by the work of the Charities and Community Organisations who go out and support those who face the greatest challenges and the greatest stigma. As a society, we’ve moved on with technology, ideas, housing, employment but in many areas life moves more slowly and for the homeless its almost Dickensian!

Albert Einstein said: “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”

How many of us can truly say that when we spot a homeless person, we stop, talk, give help or smile? These things mean so much to those who live their life on the streets. It’s the small things each one of us takes for granted that means so much. My children always say that a trip out with me takes longer because they know that I’ll stop and talk to every homeless person I meet. Every story makes me feel sad. Sad that they have no-one, sad that their life seems hopeless to them. What makes me the saddest is my fellow citizens walking past, no words, no kindness, as if they are diseased!

We need to make a change. A change for the homeless, a change for ourselves. A change to the way society views those who are homeless. An understanding that those who are homeless will probably turn in desperation to alcohol and drugs because their lives are in utter despair.

We need to get the policy makers to change the way they can be housed. If councils can house the homeless in the cold weather, why can’t they house them all year round? What’s the barriers?

To those out there supporting and helping the homeless in whatever way they can, I commend you. I hope that everyone will at the very least support you and donate to you, even if they feel they cannot do anything themselves.

“We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give” WINSTON CHURCHILL

All the wonderful people looking after the homeless are making a real difference to lives. A homeless person is part of a family, our community.

In the words of a song: “Reach out and touch somebody’s hand, make this world a better place, if you can.”

We may never end homelessness but we can all do our bit no matter how big or small. After all a smile or hello or conversation costs you nothing but a small amount of your time!

The world of the homeless!