Jumping ship……

I sometimes picture my former life as that of the Titanic; slowly sinking, breaking apart, and heading towards the bottom of the ocean. The swift currents of its demise were pulling me towards the bottom with it. I realized I had to jump ship and find a life raft. For the first time in my life I started to set obtainable goals. Not these grand designs I had in my mind for greatness at the time; just simple goals such as getting my car fixed, getting stable on a medication, and finding lasting employment.

What I learned from my own experience getting out of homelessness was that you had to take an orthodox approach. Something very much conventional and you had to ask for help from others especially family if they are available. You have to utilize all the resources set in front of you that are available with the same zeal as what you would put into a pastime you are passionate about. One homeless blogger is attempting to “knit a home” through his arts and crafts efforts. I have my doubts of its efficacy and will be pleasantly surprised if it works. From my own experience, I would urge him to take a more conventional route and start seeking social services. The stress of getting out of homelessness is great in and upon itself let alone the stress of starting and maintaining a small business to do so at the same time.

As I tackled each problem, one at a time, things began to fall into place. I reached out to my family members and they were my life raft. They saw me struggling and trying and they rallied around me. I took much time for me to regain their trust and complete support though. I had burned many bridges over the years and had to humbly apologize and work towards solutions. I realize now that many homeless people do not share in my good fortune. They do not have the safety net that was afforded me.

Homeless success stories on the internet are few and far between. You are more likely to encounter sad stories and tales of struggle and destitution. Some of what you read may not even be true as I once experienced with another homeless blogger. He proclaimed great strides in his sobriety and the direction he was going and then suddenly grew silent. Days, weeks, and months passed and there was still no word. It turned out he was drinking all along and had assaulted a police officer and was imprisoned for a duration of several years.

There is also the recent emergence of several blogs that extol the virtues of a nomadic and homeless lifestyle. These give tips on how to live homeless and still live comfortably. I find these blogs very interesting and informative. You will find the authors to be passionate, brilliant in their own rights, and great writers. Sadly, what they teach and what they expound is not obtainable for the majority of street people or more conventional homeless people. What they teach takes a certain keen resourcefulness and brilliance that I fear most street people lack.

I will close by saying that I would not trade my homeless days for anything in the world. It taught me to appreciate so many things on so many levels where as before I was clueless. I value what many of us take for granted. I have a new found zeal and quest in my life where before I wandered aimlessly. Someday, I want to be a professional social worker and start making a difference in the lives of others. I want to share my success and my enthusiasm that almost anything can be overcome with help and determination. Let’s hope that one day I get to put these ideals into practice. In the meantime, I intend to savor this interesting journey I am on. I want to drink full from the cup of life and take time to notice the little things around me. Much of the good things in life can be fleeting and I want to relish them when they happen. Good day.