Yesterday afternoon as I was
driving the desolate stretch of highway 93 in Northern Arizona between Kingman
and Las Vegas I saw an unlikely sight: a homeless man pushing a shopping cart
along the highway in near 100 degree heat.
The cart was full of the kind of
ugly property homeless people seem to accumulate. The guy, who was beyond
middle age, was working hard to get wherever he was going – somewhere in the
direction of Las Vegas. I found myself in awe of anyone who had the
determination to push a cart along a rough highway some 40 miles north of
Kingman.
His efforts led me to reflect upon the many homeless who arrive at TLC. While not all of them push shopping carts, many have spent years on the streets pursuing alcohol and drugs. And when I talk to those who are depressed about their chances of success I try to get them to look at the positives.
His efforts led me to reflect upon the many homeless who arrive at TLC. While not all of them push shopping carts, many have spent years on the streets pursuing alcohol and drugs. And when I talk to those who are depressed about their chances of success I try to get them to look at the positives.
And what, you may ask, could possibly
be positive about a history of homeless? Well, for one thing, only a tough person can
survive without shelter, without regular meals, without regular hygiene and
health care in a world where most people view the homeless with suspicion and
even contempt.
My counsel to them is to use a
small percentage of the mental and physical toughness that allowed them to
survive on the streets.
After all, being turned down for
a job is a small setback compared to what they’ve been through. And living in a
halfway house with all of its restrictions is a piece of cake compare to bathing
in a canal or looking for dinner in a restaurant dumpster.
We can find something positive
in the worst of circumstances if we only look…
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