A little bit of help for the Homeless
Whatever I do as an individual will never feel like enough, and will, in reality, never be enough. I have to remind myself not to do nothing, because the feeling of doing something seems embarrassingly small and insignificant. By doing something, no matter how small, is an act of human kindness. It is a little bit of help for the homeless. A little bit. Better than nothing at all.
A pebble of hope in a sea of hopelessness.
It’s a ripple that will travel beyond itself. Doing a small kindness, even one that doesn’t feel enough (and they never feel ‘enough’), keeps compassion and empathy alive, keeps the conversation going and helps in a small way, to advocate for change.
Over the last four weeks I’ve written about homelessness, not from a position of a professional in the field, or as someone who has experienced it first-hand. My words were personal ones, based on the shocking level of impotence I felt when witnessing some people living on the streets whilst working in or visiting Glasgow and London.
I wrote from a place of guilt and sadness at a supposedly wealthy nation with a notable number of its populous living in poverty or without a roof over their heads. A society that is failing a large proportion of its citizens yet considering itself civilised and developed.
😞I would beg to differ when looking at how its governance fails so many.
😞I beg to differ when the onus of supporting the vulnerable is placed on charity alone.
😞I beg to differ when the perceived problem of poverty and homelessness is placed at the feet of those enduring poverty and homelessness.
The blogs came from the helplessness I feel. There are only small ways I can help, and none of them seem enough. I can use my voice and use my actions.
Here is my voice.
Partly used selfishly, because I know that voicing my feelings is beneficial to my own mental wellbeing. Mostly in the hope that it keeps the conversation going. Reminds someone else of the dystopia of normalising homelessness. It does not have to be this way. Our passive acceptance of it is what stops our ‘governors’ prioritising it. Our willingness, or their ability, to shift the responsibility for it to those who suffer with it, is ‘evil genius’.
Anyway. I digress. This was not supposed to turn political. (But as you know, I don’t plan what I write it just ‘falls out’ of my head and heart and onto here. I then press post. Sometimes I remember to spellcheck!)
The reason for this post is to follow on from the last where I promised I would decide what I was going to do.
Here is my action
My small, and not nearly enough way to offer the tiniest bit of support to the homeless.
My dry January, will be a dry winter/spring, taking me to Easter. For every alcoholic drink I replace with a tea or a coke, I will put the difference in a jar. I’ll carry it on through the year. I will give this money to local support for the homeless.
I also want to make sure I always have some change in my pocket so if I am out and about, I have something to give.
So that’s it. My own call to action. With the hope that my words might inspire some of you too.
Please, if you have read this blog, please share, subscribe or find your own small way to help someone in your own community.
