Wish I had memorized this about 20 years ago:
http://musingsofanoldfart.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/a-few-financial-tidbits-from-an-old-fart/
Monthly Archives: February 2013
1800 Homeless Children In D.C., And We Care
You may have read the Washington Post article by Petula Dvorak this past weekend, “600 homeless children in D.C., and no one seems to care.” In the article, Ms. Dvorak highlights an alarming discrepancy between the glowing financial health of the District and the fact that there are hundreds of children sleeping at the DC General Shelter. Unfortunately, these children are not alone. According to the most recent data from DC Action for Children’s Kids Count, there are actually over 1800 kids who are homeless in the District.
The good (and hopeful) news is that the problem of child homelessness is completely solvable! As Ms. Dvorak and Mayor Gray have both pointed out recently, the District is economically stronger than ever. With a $417 million surplus for 2012 and an expected surplus of $240 million for this year, allowing children to grow up in a shelter is a decision…
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Street People linger in front of buildings and on corners like living abandoned buildings–all past, no conceivable future. Who were they originally and how did they become what they are now? They are the sons and daughters of John and Jane Doe from all points in the world, forgotten by families and friends long ago or not so long ago. Were they welcomed into life as babies? Were they impaired mentally as children or good students? Were they ever loved or missed? Did they read? Did they flourish once? Do they have children? Did they have careers? Did they piss too many people off?
I remember one icy morning in 1994 I found a frozen forgotten man sleeping against a dead tree in the Boston Common. The cop I hailed kicked his foot a couple of times saying, “Hey, buddy?” until it became apparent nobody was home any longer. I read the small notice in…
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Second Night
It has been the second night in my new place. The unit is a nice, older apartment with a separate bedroom and even a small dining room. Because it is in a public housing project, there are the usual weird characters roaming around (one guy was even rolling a joint on my windowsill). But, that’s pretty much like being out on the streets. I now have a locked door between me and them. Working at getting some furniture into the place right now. Will post a video when I get everything together. Thanks for all your prayers and good wishes. 🙂
Related articles
- State housing department head appointed (yaledailynews.com)
Pay It Forward Examples You Can Do Today
Most people have heard the term “pay it forward.” It’s all about performing a random act of kindness and expecting nothing in return. The other night, my husband reminded me how important it was to pay it forward to others. He called me from work and told me he had just finished dinner at a local restaurant. He was seated next to a single mother with two children. When he was paying for his check, he felt the urge to pay for their dinner as well. He did so, and left quietly not wishing for any credit or a thank you. I was so proud of him and started thinking how different our country would be if more of us paid if forward. Doing good deeds for others without any expectations. Simply hoping to bring a smile to another person’s face. Today, I am going to pay…
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I Am Human
I Am Human
I am a wanderer. I spend the day
searching. Green waste bins
my idea of a decent buffet.
I am broken. Bad frostbite on my toes
and swollen, broken
veins on my nose.
I am invisible. No one sees me,
yet I see you clearly,
trying not to look at me.
I scavenge for food, I wear
threadbare clothes
I struggle to sleep in frostbitten air.
I am resilient. With the sun I awake,
though my bones and my head
and my heart always ache.
I am homeless.
I am not hopeless.
I am human.
For those who hurt and those who help. We are all human.
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