Earlier today, I passed a homeless individual standing on the side of the road as cars exited the highway. I didn't have anything to give him unfortunately, but I watched, almost frozen in time as car after car drove right by him -- afraid to even look in his direction. Out of all of the cars that passed him during this time, only one stopped to offer aid. And then it hit me...has our society really become as heartless as this situation portrays them to be?
I'm not quite sure if I know the answer, but when did it become acceptable to ignore human suffering? When did it become the norm to push aside another persons pain...because feeling that pain would make you uncomfortable. Why is it that anything that threatens our comfort level we discard as inconceivable?
Imagine what the world is like in the eyes of a homeless individual. Life has to seem somewhat pointless...leading nowhere and offering no clear direction. This particular homeless individual fit the description of a homeless Veteran, and to think -- he was willing to fight for his country, more then likely without ever wavering; and the harsh reality is that his country isn't willing to fight for him or any other homeless Veteran.
This sad reality has really taken on an internal battle within me...for three years I have helped offer aid to the homeless. It was/is rewarding and it has largely served its purpose -- but now part of me wants to fully move in another direction and raise awareness about the obstacles that these homeless individuals face. When you think about it, they are doubly cursed. They are poor and homeless, and both social conditions are heavily frowned upon in society.
If only I could make the leap in either direction, then I would most certainly be able to be more effective in either aiding them with food/material items, or helping them regain their place in mainstream society. If only, that is. Undoubtedly, I will never be able to chose just one -- and so I will have to pick and chose where to stand on issues, and hope for the best possible outcome for my homeless friends.
In the end, we all should care more -- but until that happens, I will continue to stand up for their rights...it's what we all should do. "What's popular isn't always right, and what's right isn't always popular."
When your best efforts are simply not enough, you can either reverse direction, start over, or try harder. nkj
