For people living in large cities, the phenomenon of itinerant or homeless is something normal, there is nothing unusual to see one of these people asking for money with a smile and mostly a thank you even if you do not give him anything.
Every time I see one of these people and I mean every time, I always wonder what has been happening in their lives to become what they are today. Of course I am aware that there are a number of those people in the street because they have a mental illness and they are not adequately treated and monitored. However, we all know that most homeless are not in this situation.
I make this reflection this morning because I recently went to downtown Montreal (my hometown) and there was a homeless shelter that was next to a parking machine and with his cap hanging to collect money and welcome me with a nice hello. I returned the favor and then he started to explain the machine seemed to refuse all credit cards, but what a surprise, his manner of speaking, his vocabulary, his speech and his playful attitude to me where simply impressive.
It is clear that the person facing me was intelligent, educated and with great ability to interact with people better than most people I know. Again, I was confront to a person who lived a life situation that I could not explain. I understand that a person in depression can happen at any time in his life dropping everything time to heal, but the homeless are not all people with depression illness!
All this means that when you're facing a homeless, take time to ask yourself some questions like: is this really what the person wants as life? Was it really in his wildest dreams of becoming a homeless?
Just ask him instantly triggers a feeling of compassion towards these people. Compassion is not pity, but a feeling that makes you let go of our negative judgments and we tried, at least for a moment, to walk in their shoes. It is from this moment we realize that these people need to be treated like you and me, that is to say an equal, with respect despite their physical appearance. Never forget the saying "the clothes do not make the man", simply think of tie bandits!
Tell me what you think, tell me how to react when you face these people.
Showing posts with label illness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label illness. Show all posts
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Why help the poor ?
The difficulty with this type of support often comes from the fact we wonders if the money we send goes to its destination and it's used for good purposes. Also arises the question whether the poor are not abusers of society.
Are they really abusers? Sure, but let's be serious, the majority of helpless people really need help and they do not wish to remain there all their lives often these people are facing a temporary situation or in many cases the disease is the cause that keeps them in this situation.
Not easy to break this kind of position when it's a result of mental illness or chronic illness that prevents them from finding employment or becoming an entrepreneur. The majority of these people are grappling with this problem, for others they generally are people convinced they can challenge the system! For what purpose, I cannot answer you, this way of thinking blow me out.
Now, when making donations, does that money really can be found in the hands of good people and is the money properly used. A very difficult question to answer. To get the correct answer must be that you must do a research yourself with the institution you want to give. I agree that this approach is demanding, but if you're really serious, it's worth it to do this exercise before sending the hard earned money.
What to do for our friends in the street, those who ask for money everywhere and in many cases not even thirty years? Decide for yourself, but when you watch these people, try to think of this: you really think these people are happy to be in a similar situation? What happened to their childhood dreams of becoming an astronaut, doctor or firefighter? Just ask the question makes us realize that these people have certainly experienced very negative things to go downhill in the street that way. Do not judge, you must try to understand and imagine a real solution to help them do it.
Are they really abusers? Sure, but let's be serious, the majority of helpless people really need help and they do not wish to remain there all their lives often these people are facing a temporary situation or in many cases the disease is the cause that keeps them in this situation.
Not easy to break this kind of position when it's a result of mental illness or chronic illness that prevents them from finding employment or becoming an entrepreneur. The majority of these people are grappling with this problem, for others they generally are people convinced they can challenge the system! For what purpose, I cannot answer you, this way of thinking blow me out.
Now, when making donations, does that money really can be found in the hands of good people and is the money properly used. A very difficult question to answer. To get the correct answer must be that you must do a research yourself with the institution you want to give. I agree that this approach is demanding, but if you're really serious, it's worth it to do this exercise before sending the hard earned money.
What to do for our friends in the street, those who ask for money everywhere and in many cases not even thirty years? Decide for yourself, but when you watch these people, try to think of this: you really think these people are happy to be in a similar situation? What happened to their childhood dreams of becoming an astronaut, doctor or firefighter? Just ask the question makes us realize that these people have certainly experienced very negative things to go downhill in the street that way. Do not judge, you must try to understand and imagine a real solution to help them do it.
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