Monday, August 24, 2009

what's the point?

August 24, 2009
Someone asked ,"What are you doing out there?" I asked "overall or day to day?" Her answer was "both". This a very important question, since I have put my entire life (& bucket list) on hold for two years to make this journey. After having given the matter some duly serious thought, I feel I can answer.
Day to day, what I am doing here is the same thing I did at the D.I. making each day a little easier and a little more enjoyable for the people I interact with. Spreading the sunshine that is Bonny as we joking referred to it. This person said,"what good is that...they may feel better for a moment or even a day, but tomorrow they will wake-up in the same place, with the same crappy life.". Maybe it's the Buddhist in me but I truly believe moments are important. If everything needed long term success, there would be no hospices or hospice workers. No clowns or teddy bears would visit the childrens' ward of the hospitals. The Sisters of Charity would go hide out in a nunnery; they are not in India curing leprosy, the nuns simply give aid and comfort to those afflicted. Does what I do (which is so little) ever have a lasting impact? According to the young man in the blog from August 9th it does. There could be many or just a few like him, I will never really know... whether it is a moment changed or a life changed it is enough. And it is more then I could do sitting at home watching T.V./ which is my favourite at home pass time LOL. As I said in Pondering Mortality (blog August 17) It is my legacy to be a pebble in the river of homelessness that is washing over our country. Making a small even indiscernible difference, but a difference none the less.
As for the the overall purpose for being here, I again am a pebble. The Buddhists say, "a pebble thrown into a pond (I'm tempted to say stagnant pond) will create ripples reaching out to the very shores, creating a slight disturbance within the water as it drops. Each person who visits my website has the opportunity to learn something they didn't know about homelessness and the people who live homeless in our communities. Perhaps they will share what they learn with someone or maybe next time they walk by a homeless person (or group of homeless) They will say good morning and smile as they pass. What I really want from the blogs and ultimately the book; is for people to see the homeless and street people as I see them. Without judgement, without fear, see them for what they truly are, just another person getting through life moment by moment the best way they can.

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