Twist Of Fate

TWIST OF FATE…

Compassion and sensitivity should always be used as we encounter one esteemed soul to another. As outsiders looking in, it offers no insight pronouncing judgment on the quality of a person’s character by their physical appearance or circumstance. Phaedrus timeless quote, “Things are not always as they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.” Serves as a potent reminder of the limitations of our perceptions and the need for a more nuanced understanding. Every human being is an intricate, original masterpiece. We are all custom-made, cut from the same cloth of the master blueprint, designed with a unique purpose in mind. Many are often offended and pass judgment on things they don’t understand or by people who may look and act differently from themselves.

Some will speak with a judgmental mind, making offensive comments about a less fortunate person’s dirty clothes, unkempt hair and offensive smell. Anyone would experience these things too rising from the ashes of a concrete hell, no worldly possessions just a sad story to tell. A small act of kindness can make a huge difference in their lives. We all have our different problems and unique struggles. We must be careful to avoid making judgements and criticisms about the less fortunate, poor and needy because God may be working in ways we know nothing about. Oftentimes, a gentle gesture can soothe a pain that only compassion can heal. 

The conveniences in life that some may take for granted the unhoused, poor and needy have very few or none. There’s no real place to call home. There’s no family pictures hanging on the wall. There’s no bedtime ritual of putting on a pair of comfy pajamas or what’s comfortable for the night, they sleep and wear the same unclean clothes most days due to their unfortunate plight. There’s no bed to crawl into with fresh warm blankets and sheets and a TV to watch them as they drift off to sleep. There’s no alarm clock to be set for the next day rushing to a job so they won’t be late. The cold, hard, germ-infested ground is where they lay.

There are no bathrooms nearby to address their hygienic needs and if there are many are locked to keep them out and when they ask for access they are rudely denied, the ones who have the authority to open the doors lack compassion and are unwilling to comply. There’s no kitchen to prepare a hot meal, no hot cup of coffee to warm the chill just a daily routine of the same miserable ordeal. The few worldly possessions that they stow away thieves creep in during the night and take them away. They don’t wake up everyday to the conveniences many take for granted, sometimes the hardships of life can be so unfair leaving the most vulnerable empty-handed and in total despair.

The same barriers and access restrictions holds true to entry to various public restaurants, shopping centers and other public venues, human rights and freedoms are denied based on outward appearance often due to unforeseen circumstances. Here’s another sad reality to further oppress the poor and unhoused, on some city blocks in various cities and states the unhoused must pay a percentage of street tax on whatever they panhandled for the day to the predators, street hustlers, gangs and criminals that control the block territories. Now, that’s an outrageous level of extortion, greed and corruption to exact upon the already downtrodden.

In other states it is prohibited and unlawful for the unhoused individuals to sit on a park bench for more than one hour or cover themselves with a blanket at certain hours of the night anywhere in public. Some states have anti-camping laws which are enforced, bans include: no lying, sitting, sleeping or camping on public property anywhere or anytime. Some also include sleeping in vehicles in its camping ban. These bans often result in unreasonable steep fines and jail time. The U.S. Supreme Court’s City of Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling states, some localities ban outdoor camping even if there is no homeless shelter space available, approximately 150 cities in 32 states have passed or strengthened such ordinances. Shelter is the most basic human need so, why are they being denied this human survival necessity? These prohibitions will continue to unjustly penalize and criminalize the most vulnerable in our society.

Many are not aware that some of the unhoused have legitimate reasons as to why they cannot work and don’t have any other means of supporting themselves resorting to panhandling and seeking the public’s assistance. While a few may be recipients of a modest social security check, it’s just not nearly enough to make due. Virtually, none are in the position to afford a place to rent. Some of the assistance offered to the unhoused are not in close proximity to their outdoor living areas. The minimal food kitchens and shelters that do exist, locations and distance are too far, too few or non-existent.  

There are the other enforceable powers that be who issue tickets and vacate the unhoused from a location seeking a temporary respite. In some cities and states, there is a random three hour notice or less to vacate and street sweeps are regularly enforced where many lose their life possessions when not present to gather their belongings. Does living on the street cost? Yes, indeed! Many of them have said, “It’s an exhausting struggle to constantly move around like wandering refugee casualties. Isn’t this the land of milk and honey, home of the brave and land of the free?” Looks like a grim population explosion of an unhoused generation to me with no relief. 

Human misery and distress, no place to call home not even for an hour’s rest. Violation of the terms and service of being a human being…OPPRESSED! What are the poor, needy and the unhoused supposed to do? They are shuffled and herded like cattle from here, to there, but not able to settle anywhere, they are treated as misplaced, erased, disgraced and displaced, made to feel separate from a part of the human race. They are not going to simply evaporate and disappear into thin air. This is just tragic! These vulnerable individuals have to be somewhere and they deserve to be in suitable, affordable housing. Will this solution resolve all the other myriad of complex issues? The answer is no, but it would be a good start.

The final analysis should bring about a long-term, appropriate outcome for permanent housing accommodations to help eradicate the cause of chronic houselessness while upholding the rights of marginalized groups that are severely affected. As we move forward and prosper in our personal lives, isn’t it only right to look back and offer a helping hand so that others can thrive in an unforgiving environment. If you want to see positive, forward change you have to actively be apart of it. Whether your efforts or contributions are big or small or it’s just a simple prayer, they are very impactful. Let’s always remember with humility that falling victim to unforeseen, devastating circumstances is an equal opportunist. It is not a respecter of persons, it can happen to anyone.

We can no longer tolerate the eyes open wide shut do nothing attitude. Have we become a people who are so desensitized to what’s going on and turn a blind eye? What happened to compassion, sympathy, love and looking out for the other guy? Or for some, does this belief principle no longer apply?

Being unhoused could be anyone’s reality being held hostage as a residential street life detainee. Habitation on the street is not suitable for human life it affects all aspects of human existence, a burden with unyielding strife. If other fellow human beings fall victim to a brutal and harsh environment due to uncontrollable circumstances which render them temporarily or permanently incapacitated, is it not our humane obligation to provide them with at least the basic survival tools seasoned with simple acts of kindness needed to survive in an unimaginable new reality with the hope of fostering some stability of society.

No human being should be subjected to such overwhelming turmoil and be so severely incapacitated by an extreme whirlwind of mixed emotions that leaves them feeling completely helpless and hopeless. What a cruel twist of fate coupled with the absence of human love, human connection and human kindness to desire death over life.

The world has sentenced and exiled the most vulnerable to an existence to the outer most fringes of society, deeming them social outcasts. Unfortunately, this is a very real and sad reality for many. Let’s bring the near-sighted vision into razor sharp focus, the reality of housing insecurity and poverty’s prognosis is bleak. Can the distorted view of humanity get past the physical appearance and just see others as human? It’s not about the uniform you’re issued, it’s about how you play the game. Play the game of compassion, empathy, love and kindness wouldn’t you want the same?

We’re running the same race and jumping the same hurdles of life’s ups and downs, twists and turns on tumultuous terrain. Life is a battlefield, everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Choose love, compassion and kindness as your hand of extended grace.

The unpredictable battlefield of life can be particularly combative and extremely difficult for the less fortunate and the unhoused, they should not be further burdened with judgement, ridicule and undeserved shame. We are all created equal just reside in a different zip code and called by a different family name. Some may have amassed money, fortune and fame, but when our expiration date has expired, no matter who you are, we will all go into a dark container box, placed in a 3’x8’x6′ plot, came with nothing, will leave the same. Death strips everyone of all external security and levels the playing field and evens the game. So you see in the end we’re all the same. Final destination TBD… All human life has inherent value and a profound purpose and should be respected.

Caution should be used before prejudging and framing the character of a person. Until we have walked a mile in someone else’s shoes, we cannot know the journey of their past or the destination of their future. The journey of life are the lessons. The destination is predestined. If we would like to see the world evolve with humanity, we must first evolve in how we see and treat each other. We need to look at the world with a different lens. Only the wise will comprehend. -ArkCha’GivingHope.Org 

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