Today's observations...

[Guest guest]

Today, Raven sang without pay at a charity dinner for the homeless.

Maybe 75 to 100 people not able to easily afford to keep themselves

fed came in to get some warm soup, some meat, potatoes, rice, and

fruit. Also cake and ice cream.

I was the roadie. It was my job to help bring in the speakers, and

keyboard, microphone stand, music stand, keyboard stand, wiring,

etc. Then I mostly stood in the background while Raven sang Irish

music (for St. patty's Day) and then regular pop music. I did bring

back a few empty plates and things into the kitchen, but mostly I

observed.

What I wondered as I watched these people eat is who most people

think the homeless are. Some of these folks were tall, some short,

some heavy, some fly-weight. Some were old. Some were young. I could

tell that a few of these folks were alcoholics and drug addicts (one

fella asked me if I had any " pop rocks " on me. There was someone we

knew who was autistic because we've met him before in circumstances

connected with autism. There were a few other folks there who seemed

to be manic, some depressed, some manic depressive. Others possibly

schizophrenic. there were healthy people, sick people. People with

healthy teeth. Some with teeth missing.

Some of these folks had just fallen on hard times.

I have seen many of these people on mingling on the streets and

would not have known they were homeless or facing hard times unless

I would have known.

But at this dinner, which actually happens just about every Saturday

throughout the winter I'm told, all these folks seemed to be

enjoying themselves as though they were eating in a family

restaurant.

Now, in looking at the volunteers, I believe they were feeling very

pleased with themselves that they were giving these folks two hours

out of the cold and some nice hot food in the form of a square meal,

and they should feel that way.

But I wonder how many of them, and how many of us ever stop and

think that the reason these (mostly) homeless people could enjoy

themselves and eat with dignity is because nobody there judged them,

or prejudiced themselves against them, or mistreated them, or

snickered at them, or criticized them, or treated them with

contempt.

Let's make no mistake, many of those people there were homeless or

in dire straights obviously because of their own doing.

(Drugs/alcohol, etc. - I am convinced that one of the women there

might prostitute herself for drugs.) But even so, we have not lived

their lives, and maybe if we did so, or tried to imagine how it is

they got where they are, we'd be a bit more compassionate not just

for them, but for anyone in our lives whom we come to see as some

sort of ethical alarm clock.

Examples of these to most of us are folks like the homeless,who,

through their begging, remind us that we should be doing more for

our fellow men and women. " Cripples " are another alarm clock. These

are folks who are suffering injuries, or deformities, or amputations

that peak our curiosity and disgust, and who cause us to go home and

be ashamed of ourselves for being thankful we aren't them. Then

there are other folks that are just inconveniences. The less severe

autistics might fall into this category. They require special needs,

but outwardly seem intelligent enough to fend for themselves. To the

uninformed, they seem " lazy. " With just a LITTLE pushing they could

getwhere they need to be.

The point of this whole post is not to suggest people ought to be

charitable. It is to suggest that people out to be a bit more

compassionate. Really, it is not necessary to know how someone got

where they are. It is more necessary to understand where someone is

at this exact moment and show a little love and devotion to them, to

better help them do what they need to do to keep making them feel

like people.

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