I have, thankfully, never been homeless. I know many in my personal life who faced the threat of homelessness, but never became homeless because myself or my family has always stepped in to ensure that did not happen. On more than one occasion, we have all individually allowed someone we do not like to live with us for fairly long stretches to allow them to avoid homelessness.
In the last job I worked, everyone was homeless. Not the staff, that I know of anyway, but the individuals we helped. Through that job I must have met at least 100 in a few years time. I worked to help them get a roof over their heads, but sometimes, their issues prevented them from maintaining that security. In others, they learned to assist others, and created pockets of beauty in the world where homeless people were never alone to figure it out and together they were able to avoid that situation ever again.
I have also heard rumors of someone I used to know suffering from homelessness due to his own temper and violence and he was forced to live in a vehicle. I don’t know if it is true, or for how long he lived like like that if it was true, but it could have been. Not an easy life.
Thank you, it was a really quiet, relaxing day, I hope you had a good one too!!
I get that it is an odd question to ask… Living in Montréal, I’ve had to face this reality for the past 11 years. In the past, homeless people were mainly located downtown, where most of the metropolis’ action happened. But since the beginning of the pandemic, they have decentralized, and we see more and more of them in my neighbourhood. Both Chéri and I are very sensible to their situation, and we try to help in any way we can. When I don’t have anything to give, I at least take the time to chat a little. I feel like a lot of people have a tendency of seeing them only as beggars, and not as human beings. In my personal experience, just asking for their name seems to make a difference. I just can’t imagine not being aknowledged as a person.
Let’s just say that I recognize that I have been lucky enough to have a fairly comfortable life, so far. And who knows? I might end up homeless someday. It is just something I think about a lot…
It is just a question that made me think. I love your questions because they do just that!
I have stopped to talk as well. Back when I wasn’t single, I used to drive my ex insane because I would buy a number of blankets at a go. Then, as far as he was concerned, promptly lost them. I never told him the truth because he seemed to enjoy being angry over something so trivial. Mostly, he used that silly thing to unload his frustrations at work – it wasn’t at me, so I was ok with it. He was just flipping because I would manage to loose almost 12 blankets a month. I usually took the train to school which is why they would last so long. I only drove when I missed the train. He was working for a short time in the same city (it’s where his company would send him) so he would take a local to meet me so we could go home together. One day, I had to drive in, he had already used his complicated train system to get to his job. He met me. He was irritated that I stopped to talk to a homeless person (primarily because he had an upset stomach and because I was blocking traffic). I spoke to the man for a little bit, got his name and he truly and deeply thanked me for caring enough to ask. I went to my trunk and pulled out a brand new blanket and gave it to him as it was winter time. He actually cried. Over a blanket. My ex saw this, and when I got in the car, he said “so this is why you spend a billion dollars a month on blankets, just to hand them to the first stranger you meet?” I said he wasn’t a stranger and told him his name. He made a snorting sound. I laughed at the silliness of his reaction because he knew who he married.
About a block later he yelled at me to stop. I freaked out, slammed on the breaks and was certain I almost killed a small child! He jumped out of the car and ran a few steps and around a wall so I didn’t know what he was doing. Suddenly he was back and rummaging through my trunk. He pulled out two blankets and ran back to the car and got in. I asked what it was all about and he said “nothing. I figured we could just give all the blankets I’ve paid for to every stranger we see.” I asked their names and he said “oh, who knows? It’s not like I bothered to ask. It was just a guy with his dog. Who would both asking X to give their name in exchange for a blanket for him and for Y? That’s silly.” Meanwhile, X was the man’s name, and Y was his dog’s name. They were both homeless and he wanted to make sure both could sleep warmly. But that’s how he is. He whines and complains about me being too altruistic, but he actually is, just as much as I am, if differently.
His thing is St. Judes. He donates every single year, and he donates a great deal based on his various salaries over the years. When he was writing checks to send he would complain mon-stop about the cost of a stamp to mail the check, the cost of the checks when you have to reorder, the cost of the envelope, but NEVER the cost of the actual check he was sending (except once after he got a new job and after calculating the check was the largest he ever sent, but his brain was telling him it was based on his old salary and he was complaining that he’s a sap for giving away so much money 😂 ). Then when it moved online where he is most comfortable, he would complain about the effort he had to put in to put his credit card info in, how slow the site was, etc.
So it was just different. He was as open and kind as me, he just was raised to never show his altruistic side. As time went on, he stopped the constant (real) complaining, and then just did it because he felt he had to – he had set a precedent! But he never failed to step up when it was needed.
The truth is, he was less of a blanket type of guy, and he was more of a sandwich type guy. So after the blanket day, when I drove us home, he would have 5 or 6 sandwiches with him. I would give the blankets and he would give the food. And the coffee or huge jugs of water. He also got a dog bowl for the guy with a dog if we ever saw him again.
We both realize how lucky we’ve been. There is no harm in sharing your good fortune.
I am glad to know that you never had to deal with homelessness… I wish that in 2021 (soon 2022), in countries like the US or Canada, society would make sure that no one had to do so. But I guess that even if we multiplicated the efforts to keep people off the streets, there still would be some people struggling too much to be part of the system… A sad thing, really.
I admire that you would help provide a roof, even if you didn’t like that person all that much. That shows true altruism, and I sure hope these people are grateful for the amazing gesture.
It doesn’t surprise me that you worked with homeless people. Especially in large cities like Montréal, homelessness is a real problem. Not for the city but for all these men and women who didn’t choose to end up in such a vulnerable situation. It made me smile to read that some of these people, once back in a safer environment, pay it forward by helping others… It really is heart-warming.
I have always done the best I can with what I have. It is not really that special, it’s how I was raised to be.
As far as my work goes, I truly tried. We are not a big city, but homelessness is real, even around here. Unfortunately, many of the homeless I come into contact with through my type of work are mentally ill or addicted. They leave the place I was able to help them find because running from there is safer as the whole building has been consumed by flames (there isn’t a fire at all, but their brain tells them there is), or that next fix when then they fall is more important than staying warm. It’s a rough road for them, and those of us who repeatedly meet them in these circumstances.
However, when it works, it can be one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. And I was so fortunate to see it work and grow and take on a life of its own. That made me swell with pride! The funny thing is, most people will read that and think that I am taking some form of credit for their accomplishments. It’s not me I’m proud of. I was just someone who helped them for a few weeks until they got their feet on the ground. The pride I swell with is pride for them. They became exactly what I could see in them, even though they couldn’t. Then, the raised the bar on their own and kept raising it. And they reached it every time.
Pride is not a sin. You can feel extreme pride for someone else’s accomplishments. Being proud of the strides others are able to make is a powerful thing. My own successes are things to be proud of as well, but they never hit me in the same way as finding out someone exceeded their wildest expectations. I am proud foe them. And grateful I got to be a small part of their journey.
I am also thankful to have always had housing. I have known a few people who were outdoors for a while ~ one slept in his office and the other in his car. But these were choices they made, so I didn’t feel that sorry for them. The true homeless should be helped imo, whether they want it or not…
So glad you never had to deal with that, Paula… I do get that in some rare cases, people do choose that way of life, but I think these are exeptions. I also know that a small percentage of them are just struggling too much to ”fit” in our social system. But I agree that the rest of these people should be able to get help… It is a sad sad thing to see them on the streets, especially this time of the year.
If you consider living in a car with your boyfriend for a few days or staying with a friend for a month, then my answer would be Yes.
Knowing someone? Yes. My Ex returned to his Addiction and became Homeless. Technically, I still know him..but maybe not, as I wouldn’t recognize him or want anything to do with him. He used to tell me about how he lived in his underground tunnels when he was younger.
Cyranny's Cove 
I have, thankfully, never been homeless. I know many in my personal life who faced the threat of homelessness, but never became homeless because myself or my family has always stepped in to ensure that did not happen. On more than one occasion, we have all individually allowed someone we do not like to live with us for fairly long stretches to allow them to avoid homelessness.
In the last job I worked, everyone was homeless. Not the staff, that I know of anyway, but the individuals we helped. Through that job I must have met at least 100 in a few years time. I worked to help them get a roof over their heads, but sometimes, their issues prevented them from maintaining that security. In others, they learned to assist others, and created pockets of beauty in the world where homeless people were never alone to figure it out and together they were able to avoid that situation ever again.
I have also heard rumors of someone I used to know suffering from homelessness due to his own temper and violence and he was forced to live in a vehicle. I don’t know if it is true, or for how long he lived like like that if it was true, but it could have been. Not an easy life.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Intriguing question today. One of those that makes me wonder why you ask.
Have a great day Cyranny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, it was a really quiet, relaxing day, I hope you had a good one too!!
I get that it is an odd question to ask… Living in Montréal, I’ve had to face this reality for the past 11 years. In the past, homeless people were mainly located downtown, where most of the metropolis’ action happened. But since the beginning of the pandemic, they have decentralized, and we see more and more of them in my neighbourhood. Both Chéri and I are very sensible to their situation, and we try to help in any way we can. When I don’t have anything to give, I at least take the time to chat a little. I feel like a lot of people have a tendency of seeing them only as beggars, and not as human beings. In my personal experience, just asking for their name seems to make a difference. I just can’t imagine not being aknowledged as a person.
Let’s just say that I recognize that I have been lucky enough to have a fairly comfortable life, so far. And who knows? I might end up homeless someday. It is just something I think about a lot…
Thank you for asking, Marla 🙂
LikeLike
It is just a question that made me think. I love your questions because they do just that!
I have stopped to talk as well. Back when I wasn’t single, I used to drive my ex insane because I would buy a number of blankets at a go. Then, as far as he was concerned, promptly lost them. I never told him the truth because he seemed to enjoy being angry over something so trivial. Mostly, he used that silly thing to unload his frustrations at work – it wasn’t at me, so I was ok with it. He was just flipping because I would manage to loose almost 12 blankets a month. I usually took the train to school which is why they would last so long. I only drove when I missed the train. He was working for a short time in the same city (it’s where his company would send him) so he would take a local to meet me so we could go home together. One day, I had to drive in, he had already used his complicated train system to get to his job. He met me. He was irritated that I stopped to talk to a homeless person (primarily because he had an upset stomach and because I was blocking traffic). I spoke to the man for a little bit, got his name and he truly and deeply thanked me for caring enough to ask. I went to my trunk and pulled out a brand new blanket and gave it to him as it was winter time. He actually cried. Over a blanket. My ex saw this, and when I got in the car, he said “so this is why you spend a billion dollars a month on blankets, just to hand them to the first stranger you meet?” I said he wasn’t a stranger and told him his name. He made a snorting sound. I laughed at the silliness of his reaction because he knew who he married.
About a block later he yelled at me to stop. I freaked out, slammed on the breaks and was certain I almost killed a small child! He jumped out of the car and ran a few steps and around a wall so I didn’t know what he was doing. Suddenly he was back and rummaging through my trunk. He pulled out two blankets and ran back to the car and got in. I asked what it was all about and he said “nothing. I figured we could just give all the blankets I’ve paid for to every stranger we see.” I asked their names and he said “oh, who knows? It’s not like I bothered to ask. It was just a guy with his dog. Who would both asking X to give their name in exchange for a blanket for him and for Y? That’s silly.” Meanwhile, X was the man’s name, and Y was his dog’s name. They were both homeless and he wanted to make sure both could sleep warmly. But that’s how he is. He whines and complains about me being too altruistic, but he actually is, just as much as I am, if differently.
His thing is St. Judes. He donates every single year, and he donates a great deal based on his various salaries over the years. When he was writing checks to send he would complain mon-stop about the cost of a stamp to mail the check, the cost of the checks when you have to reorder, the cost of the envelope, but NEVER the cost of the actual check he was sending (except once after he got a new job and after calculating the check was the largest he ever sent, but his brain was telling him it was based on his old salary and he was complaining that he’s a sap for giving away so much money 😂 ). Then when it moved online where he is most comfortable, he would complain about the effort he had to put in to put his credit card info in, how slow the site was, etc.
So it was just different. He was as open and kind as me, he just was raised to never show his altruistic side. As time went on, he stopped the constant (real) complaining, and then just did it because he felt he had to – he had set a precedent! But he never failed to step up when it was needed.
The truth is, he was less of a blanket type of guy, and he was more of a sandwich type guy. So after the blanket day, when I drove us home, he would have 5 or 6 sandwiches with him. I would give the blankets and he would give the food. And the coffee or huge jugs of water. He also got a dog bowl for the guy with a dog if we ever saw him again.
We both realize how lucky we’ve been. There is no harm in sharing your good fortune.
😘
LikeLike
I am glad to know that you never had to deal with homelessness… I wish that in 2021 (soon 2022), in countries like the US or Canada, society would make sure that no one had to do so. But I guess that even if we multiplicated the efforts to keep people off the streets, there still would be some people struggling too much to be part of the system… A sad thing, really.
I admire that you would help provide a roof, even if you didn’t like that person all that much. That shows true altruism, and I sure hope these people are grateful for the amazing gesture.
It doesn’t surprise me that you worked with homeless people. Especially in large cities like Montréal, homelessness is a real problem. Not for the city but for all these men and women who didn’t choose to end up in such a vulnerable situation. It made me smile to read that some of these people, once back in a safer environment, pay it forward by helping others… It really is heart-warming.
Thank you for sharing 🙂 *Big hugs*
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have always done the best I can with what I have. It is not really that special, it’s how I was raised to be.
As far as my work goes, I truly tried. We are not a big city, but homelessness is real, even around here. Unfortunately, many of the homeless I come into contact with through my type of work are mentally ill or addicted. They leave the place I was able to help them find because running from there is safer as the whole building has been consumed by flames (there isn’t a fire at all, but their brain tells them there is), or that next fix when then they fall is more important than staying warm. It’s a rough road for them, and those of us who repeatedly meet them in these circumstances.
However, when it works, it can be one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. And I was so fortunate to see it work and grow and take on a life of its own. That made me swell with pride! The funny thing is, most people will read that and think that I am taking some form of credit for their accomplishments. It’s not me I’m proud of. I was just someone who helped them for a few weeks until they got their feet on the ground. The pride I swell with is pride for them. They became exactly what I could see in them, even though they couldn’t. Then, the raised the bar on their own and kept raising it. And they reached it every time.
Pride is not a sin. You can feel extreme pride for someone else’s accomplishments. Being proud of the strides others are able to make is a powerful thing. My own successes are things to be proud of as well, but they never hit me in the same way as finding out someone exceeded their wildest expectations. I am proud foe them. And grateful I got to be a small part of their journey.
LikeLike
I am also thankful to have always had housing. I have known a few people who were outdoors for a while ~ one slept in his office and the other in his car. But these were choices they made, so I didn’t feel that sorry for them. The true homeless should be helped imo, whether they want it or not…
LikeLiked by 2 people
So glad you never had to deal with that, Paula… I do get that in some rare cases, people do choose that way of life, but I think these are exeptions. I also know that a small percentage of them are just struggling too much to ”fit” in our social system. But I agree that the rest of these people should be able to get help… It is a sad sad thing to see them on the streets, especially this time of the year.
Stay well and safe 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
No and no.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you consider living in a car with your boyfriend for a few days or staying with a friend for a month, then my answer would be Yes.
Knowing someone? Yes. My Ex returned to his Addiction and became Homeless. Technically, I still know him..but maybe not, as I wouldn’t recognize him or want anything to do with him. He used to tell me about how he lived in his underground tunnels when he was younger.
LikeLiked by 1 person