Today I woke up in a warm bed in a nice room provided for me by the prestigious university I attend and paid for by my generous, caring parents. Today I put on clean clothes and a warm jacket, I ate, and I went to class.
After class I got on the t and went to a homeless shelter.
I got lost. Straight off the subway right next to the cinema I always go to I had no idea where to look for a homeless shelter in an area I had been numerous times before. I walked around in circles, not understanding why my expensive iPhone’s map application couldn’t find the shelter for me. I guess these sorts of things aren’t programmed into iPhones. Eventually I got my head out of my phone and looked up just in time to see a man begging for money. He stopped me, and I reached for my wallet to give him some change. Then I asked him if he could point me in the right direction. Despite my $600 iPhone a homeless man showed me the way.
I got to the shelter in time to sit in on one and a half interviews that my Mental Health and Counseling instructor was conducting as part of a research project.
The first woman made jokes. She was a success story; she had recently been given a home by the state, and her children were coming to visit her soon. She had no teeth and she was funny.
As I listened to her I became increasingly aware of myself. There I was, wearing nice clothes because I had wanted to look professional. I had a sparkly hair band, earrings, a ring from Poland, and a real diamond nose stud for goodness sake. Yet she did not judge me, she did not look at me any differently from the way my friends look at me every day. When she looked at me as she cracked a joke about her Jamaican husband she smiled at me. When was the last time someone smiled at her, or looked at her as if she were an equal? When was the last time someone smiled at any of the homeless community, for that matter?
The next woman came in and answered routine questions about herself. Then she began to cry. I don’t know how she did it but my counseling instructor comforted her professionally and carried on with the interview. I couldn’t watch as the woman’s eyes filled up and brimmed over, as she went silent and still, as she gave up hope for that brief moment because life has given her nothing to hope for.
By the end of the interview she was in better spirits, she was hopeful again. That’s the beauty of human nature. Hope. When it was negative 15 degrees Celsius the other night and I was complaining though I had a warm room to go back to she was sleeping on the streets. Yet she is hopeful.
I am so lucky. I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, clothes on my back, and an education at my fingertips. I have friends who love me, and a family who cares for me. We are all so lucky. We cannot ever take that for granted.
After the interviews I walked back to where the homeless man had given me directions. I wanted to buy him food from the fast food restaurant he was begging outside of. I wanted to give him the same hope I had seen in the second interview. But he had already moved on.
Today I lived and I learned. Today, and every day, I am grateful.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Happy 2013
Better late than never:
This time last year I wrote a post about how good 2011 was for me. I wrote that I had seen so much, learned so much, and loved so much that year. I don’t want to repeat myself so I will not say that 2012 has been just as good if not better to me. Splitting the year between living in 3 different cities in Italy and discovering Boston has been a gift in many ways. It was an eventful, educational, exciting year and I loved every minute of it.
This time last year I wrote my five news years resolutions to share them with the world so I would have no excuse not to keep them. They were as follows:
1. Stop making excuses:
For the most part I’d say this was a success. I didn’t always live by this resolution but when I did I experienced some truly great moments. I took life by the hand and ran with it and though by the end I was out of breath (because I’m out of shape) it was worth every stride.
2. Be better at long distance communication:
It was slow and steady, but I would say I improved at maintaining the friendships that matter. Thank god for facebook, skype, and having a US number.
3. Stop being so lazy:
Yeah, maybe, almost. I still like to take a lot of naps. I can’t accomplish every resolution at once can I :P
4.Accomplish at least one thing on my bucket list:
http://memoirsofarat.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-bucket-list.html
I accomplished two! I not only went to Venice and lived there for a month and wrote some of my favourite blog posts from the watery streets I learned to call home, but after that I was lucky enough to see one of my favourite musicians perform live with one of my favourite people. Check, and check!
5.Allow myself to get hurt:
This I did and did not do. I took risks to the best of my ability. I did not fall but I threw myself into relationships and moments that could potentially hurt me. Whether they did or not is irrelevant because I took the chance and experienced the vulnerability that makes us human, and the warmth of heart that makes the risk worthwhile. I’m still falling, I have not hit the ground yet. (Though I did fall down the stairs a couple of times…)
Suffice to say 2012 was both scintillating and successful. I look forward to 2013 and all it has to offer.
This year I have only one resolution: to enjoy it. I hope you all do the same.
This time last year I wrote a post about how good 2011 was for me. I wrote that I had seen so much, learned so much, and loved so much that year. I don’t want to repeat myself so I will not say that 2012 has been just as good if not better to me. Splitting the year between living in 3 different cities in Italy and discovering Boston has been a gift in many ways. It was an eventful, educational, exciting year and I loved every minute of it.
This time last year I wrote my five news years resolutions to share them with the world so I would have no excuse not to keep them. They were as follows:
1. Stop making excuses:
For the most part I’d say this was a success. I didn’t always live by this resolution but when I did I experienced some truly great moments. I took life by the hand and ran with it and though by the end I was out of breath (because I’m out of shape) it was worth every stride.
2. Be better at long distance communication:
It was slow and steady, but I would say I improved at maintaining the friendships that matter. Thank god for facebook, skype, and having a US number.
3. Stop being so lazy:
Yeah, maybe, almost. I still like to take a lot of naps. I can’t accomplish every resolution at once can I :P
4.Accomplish at least one thing on my bucket list:
http://memoirsofarat.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-bucket-list.html
I accomplished two! I not only went to Venice and lived there for a month and wrote some of my favourite blog posts from the watery streets I learned to call home, but after that I was lucky enough to see one of my favourite musicians perform live with one of my favourite people. Check, and check!
5.Allow myself to get hurt:
This I did and did not do. I took risks to the best of my ability. I did not fall but I threw myself into relationships and moments that could potentially hurt me. Whether they did or not is irrelevant because I took the chance and experienced the vulnerability that makes us human, and the warmth of heart that makes the risk worthwhile. I’m still falling, I have not hit the ground yet. (Though I did fall down the stairs a couple of times…)
Suffice to say 2012 was both scintillating and successful. I look forward to 2013 and all it has to offer.
This year I have only one resolution: to enjoy it. I hope you all do the same.
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