Your car pulls up to a stoplight, and standing to your left, there is a man with disheveled hair and stains on his clothes. He holds a tattered cardboard sign that reads “Down on my luck, just need food.” You can feel his eyes on yours. You have no cash or food to offer. Your instinct is to look ahead and hope that the light turns green, but what if it was different? Would you be bold enough to get out of your car and talk to this homeless man?
A few years ago, my uncle had the courage to do exactly that. Today, he has been able to form a close relationship with a man who is merely down on his luck, lost his job and has no family to fall back on. All the basic needs many of us take for granted, he does not have. My uncle visits him every Sunday, bringing clothes, offering money or just sharing a meal with him. Through my uncle’s experiences with the homeless, I have become passionate about following in his footsteps and doing what he refers to as God’s work.
When I was younger, I fell victim to the stereotype that people who are homeless made poor decisions in their life, such as not finishing school or doing drugs and alcohol, and as a result, created a miserable life for themselves. While some of these situations may be true, my uncle has shown me that this is often not the case. The stark reality is that homelessness can happen to anyone, and that as humans, it is not our place to judge people in unfortunate situations. Coming up with possible reasons why these people got to this position in life or assuming that the money you give is going to be used for the wrong reasons is simply creating excuses for yourself not to help or act. Conforming to society’s misconceptions holds you back from doing what is morally right. My uncle has told me that often times the homeless don’t even want your money, they just want to be treated like human beings; for someone to acknowledge that they exist. Their situation has indeed created obstacles in their life, but as Maya Angelou once said, “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
Mother Teresa has been a figure of inspiration for my uncle, as she lived among the impoverished in Calcutta, India and devoted her life to helping others. She could have easily stayed within the walls of the comfortable church but felt that by going to areas where there was great human suffering, she was closer to God. In some towns and cities, the homeless are hidden due to the negative presence that is associated with this population. Society tries to paint an unrealistic picture of how the world really is. They chose to cover up suffering instead of trying to confront the fear and stigma around being homeless. It is hard for me to grasp why towns and society as a whole deliberately cast out the homeless and walk away from people who are hurting. Society has failed to live the golden rule of treating others the way you would want to be treated. People become too wrapped up in the comforts of their own lives and forget to think about those who have nothing.
My uncle has opened my eyes to an issue that is ubiquitous, but so often overlooked. Meeting and talking with the homeless is a humbling experience I challenge others to try. You not only learn to appreciate the simple things in life but form relationships that are unlike any other.
– By Madeline Conte
