Close to Home

This time of year never fails to bring to mind the many experiences I have had of trying to survive among the cold, damp, dark streets and woods during those times when there was nowhere else to live independently.

Homelessness is something that I have experienced in one form or another off and on over the last thirty-two years. Despite these countless experiences, I was never able to get very good at coping with being homeless. It takes a lot out of me when I am without permanent, safe, warm, dry shelter.

There have been many times when these experiences, or something that happened to me during them, have made me feel utterly defeated, helpless, hopeless and worthless.

If it were not for all the support and assistance received, especially when it was most needed, things would certainly have become much worse for me than had already happened to be the case however.  

Learned from the streets

Our society is built on the premise that it is better to share with others than it is to dictate and hold something over them. This is what I understand the Vermont motto, Freedom & Unity, to mean anyway.

Based on personal experience, along with my observations of others over the years as well, I am convinced that it is extremely critical to provide hope, opportunity, shelter, support and services to people when they need such assistance.

It is as crucial, however, to do this in a manner that does not force a person or family to choose between having access to these or having to give up certain freedoms and responsibilities - along with the independence and self-respect that goes with them - that people who are housed may take for granted, yet still prize for themselves as well.

Rather than attempting to manage, control or coerce people in ways that we may want to believe is for their own good, our efforts are best served when they are positively focused. This provides people with a better working role model for building faith and trust in themselves and with others.

No matter why or how many times or ways a person or family is in need, everyone deserves to be believed in and offered the assistance they may seek and require toward helping themselves meet their needs.

In this way, people are not only helped toward becoming housed again, but they are more easily and freely encouraged to learn or enhance skills, strengths and abilities of their own that anyone needs to be independent members of the community.

Time and time again, I have seen that what can make a difference in the circumstances and well being of a person or family who is homeless is when they receive quality contact, support, encouragement, services and shelter when needed.

Our communities will be enriched and strengthened when each individual and family living within them has permanent, safe, decent and affordable housing, along with the other usual and basic needed opportunities, from which to thrive and grow.

Morgan W. Brown, whom has lived homeless off and on over a period of several years in many of its various forms since his initial experience with homelessness, resides within Central Vermont. 

*Note*: The above commentary of mine is actually an updated and edited version done for this posting (Monday, May 22, 2006), which is based on the one originally written on Wednesday, November 7, 2001 at the Another Way Drop-In Center in Montpelier, Vermont;  a version of which was published within Loaves & Fishes, Vol. 21 No. 1, January - February, 2002; Newspaper of Meeting Ground; Elkton, Maryland (here).