I read an article recently about the homeless dilemma by an expert. The expertise was in writing opinion articles not in being homeless. I was offended because the individual had gotten all his information from journals. He never even bothered to interview one person (surely it was not for the lack of homeless persons).
I’m not sure there are experts in homelessness. Even if you have been homeless it will still be from your vantage point.
I have been homeless three times. The first two times I was young and not afraid of life; being homeless was part of living and experiencing. I’ve always been able to live on little so having little was not really a struggle.
I have worked with a number of women who were on the run. That adds a dimension to homelessness that is more like predator and prey category. Add a child or two and you could quickly create a frightening scenario.
For me being homeless with the responsibility of children was a little less adventurous. Not knowing where, how, when or who put to many variables into life. I have learned that people when they are down and out are either taken by the hand and assisted or door after door shuts on them. Fortunately, even though I had doors slammed in my face by people I had trusted I was fortunate that there were doors along the way that opened (by unlikely people.)
These articles and poems have a two-fold purpose: to angst about my situation (I am still dealing with the effects of being homeless from bill collectors who don’t understand if you are homeless it’s because there is no money!), I am also hoping that you can look at the people who live in a shopping cart with a bit more compassion.
penned in moon dust 
You are a brave and noble lady, my friend! In today’s day and age, anyone can become homeless in an instant due to rapidly changing financial conditions. For women, it’s even worse. Many times, it is imperative that an abused lady needs to leave the abuser. Even life on the streets is better than that. Of course, with children, the situation becomes even more harrowing.
I commend you for your compassion, your love for children, and so much more. I am a better person for having you as my friend.
Blaze
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Blaze I am honored to know you with all your many talents I’m wondering when you rest.
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There are so many facets to this problem that it’s difficult both to get good information and to try to meet the problem with viable solutions. Thanks for sharing your side of this and many blessings to you as you continue on!
janet
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It is so complicated. I will say one thing these people are not “low information” or uneducated. It takes “something” to survive in this world it takes more to be homeless. I worked with a social worker who commented once that she wished she could hire some of these folks to teach her a thing or two.
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I was a motel manager. My health abruptly declined. I could not get effective health care – doctors refusing to do tests and needed treatment. I became too ill to work. Lost everything. Became out on the street homeless. Almost died. Anemia, bleeding stomach ulcers, an emergency blood transfusion at a hospital saved my life. A nurse and social worker helped me to get aid I’d previously been denied. Housing aid got me an apartment. I qualified for Social Security Disability benefits for rest of my life. High crime in Public Housing and Section 8 Housing, I became a victim. I gave up the aid for moving to a safer place, lower crime rate, smaller city. Norman, Oklahoma. I intended to stay here rest of my life. Apartments complex sold, to be bulldozed August 2015, over 200 tenants to be displaced, I have until end of May on lease. Meantime, doctors here dumping Medicare patients, dumped me. So to get health care I have to move to another city anyway, maybe another state. Not easy to do on disability money. Even so, I’ll go Greyhound, 1 suitcase, 1 carry-on, to wherever – searching now for furnished all utilities paid studio apartment, or someone seeking roommate for 2-bedroom deal. So far, landlords are snubbing my emails – so I could become homeless again. I can leave April 3 soonest, May 3 preferred, June 3 latest. March 5 is my 59th birthday. ~ Jim Lantern.
jimlantern1956@gmail.com
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Srunning concept – and very interesting. The added dimension of being hunted down, as a woman, must be awful, and very tense. Having been homeless I see what you are saying clearly. I sometimes feel only a few steps from being homeless again, like many, and often think of living somewhere warm again, as a cold night out is never something someone gets used to.
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