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Narnia
October 7th, 2009, 02:09 PM
Homeless a terrible position for anyone to be in at anytime in ones life ...

This is something that I thought about many many years ago and it struck me that it may make sense to have a back-up plan if I ever found myself being homeless.

Just yesterday I was reminded of my 'back-up plan' - I saw a homeless person walking around the 'spanky' town of Mystic with a blank and apathetic look on his face, carrying a few items in a plastic bag minding his own business. And it always hit me - wow, that should never happen to anyone - no one should be 'homeless'.

Perhaps we take it for granted and do not think much about it - that we'll never be homeless - but what if something happened in your life where you did find yourself homeless, alone with nohting but the clothes on your back, and you only had yourself to rely on?

What would be your 'back-up plan' to prepare yourself if you became homeless?



I am curious about your thoughts on this - so, I'll save my comments for sometime later on.

SoulChild
October 7th, 2009, 02:19 PM
I have a back up plan and that is the fact that my husband and I have a camper with toilet, shower, stove and fridge and can be converted into three bedrooms. All we need is propane and can foods I guess....and plenty of water!

This may sound a certain way, but, the homeless down here in NC have it not as bad as probably in bigger cities. They can sustain in the woods for years, and panhandling for money here and there and during the cold month or two they hopefully can get shelter and food. I was watching on the news the other day that the homeless has to have a permit for begging, yet it is easy to get. I always thought that the homeless were free...but, now since they have to get a permit, I guess the government still got their number!

Logio
October 7th, 2009, 02:40 PM
Sometimes I think life would be difficult if I were homeless; and it might be easy to turn to alcohol for consolation. I think this is were most people who become homeless go wrong; it is probably extremely easy to become despondant when one is homeless.
Some people who are homeless might have one mental challenge or another - this isn't necessarily the case though - I also believe people can have bad luck...not necessarily the fanciful kind, but that one may not see the total picture of the situation he is in; and thus may not have a large chance of knowing what his situation will be tomorrow. But I believe that if one is smart he can survive by sheer resourcefulness and extreme economy.
I believe there are many resources out there that can assist as well; for instance, some religions are willing to give a helping hand without pressure of indoctrination...some do, but they aren't too bad. I once had a friend in Michigan who, in order to get a meal from a mission, had to attend a church service....I assume not all missions are like this; some missions can also assist in the placement of jobs.
There is also the factor of people having too much "pride" to ask for assistance.
The most unfortunate things is, I think, that many people who are homeless do not know the resources available to them. Some revert to theft which becomes worse on the individual when caught.

Nathan

Mr. Brightside
October 7th, 2009, 05:41 PM
I find it very sad when I see people begging on the streets or huddled in shop doorways trying to keep warm. How did they get to this point. A lot of people in my town become homeless through substance abuse, sometimes alcohol but a lot of the time Heroin (which has really took a grip of parts of this town in the last 10 - 15 years) They then beg on the streets to feed their habit. wheather it was their choice or not in the begining to take these drugs I am sure they never thoght they would get to this point and its very sad to see somebody sink so low. These people need help and support, To get to a clinic and weaned off the drugs, to be given accomadation and the chance to turn their lives around.

I applaud charities like Shelter and Crisis who help these people, to try to get them from the mindset of despair and give them hope.

There was a person who I used to see in the town centre, He had the usual pale gaunt look about him, I am not sure if he was on Heroin but he looked like he was judging by the people I know who are addicts and he used to busk and earn money by playing music, He was very talented, could knock out a good tune and had a great singing voice He was trying to turn his life around by doing what he obviously loved doing, I would like to say this chap succeeded but I read in the paper he had died. Normally somebody who lived on the street would not get a mention but he obviously touched a lot of people with his music. There must be millions of people like him in the world, It is very sad.

I dont have a back up plan for becoming homeless because like most people who are homeless they never think it will happen to them, But I can certainly see how somebodys live could spiral out of control quickly. I was homeless for a short peiod of time when I left care but had people who quickly helped me get my life in order, unfortunatley a lot of homeless people do not have this or like Nathan said, do not know about the help they could get.

Kiran
October 7th, 2009, 07:19 PM
Hmmm...this is an interesting thread. Its interesting to note that most people associate homelessness with abuse - be is substance, physical or sexual or similar. I don't think you could plan for being homeless as the many reasons why someone finds themselves in this particular situation is varied.
I found myself homeless for almost two weeks with a ten year old child in tow! It happened trhough no fault of my own and yet there were no services here at the time that could help other than homeless shelters which do cater for those with abuse issues.
We had paid a deposit on a new place (rented), given up our old place and then landed down, bags and child in tow and they had sub-let the place saying we had never given them any money!!!
We slept in various hostels for a couple of nights as we had a little money but when eating out all the time and having to make sure your child eats properly, money goes very quickly!
We did end up a couple of nights in the homeless hostels....but you can't sleep, you can get your stuff robbed and you worry for your physical safety!
Eventually we did get sorted out but I will have to say, in this day and age when people look at possessions so importantly, when a simple thing like a hot meal and somewhere safe to sleep is your priority, then it makes you very thankful for what you have instead of whinging about what we don't!
It didn't do us any harm in fact, it opens your eyes to the kindness of others and to the dangers out there many take for granted. The 'invisible' people, and we were those, can have anything done to them and have people judge them.
I do not regret what we went through as it opened my eyes and made me very humble. I will not go inot anymore details as it is not important, all I will say is everyone has a story and not always the ones we assume.

Good thread Polly :)

Mr. Brightside
October 7th, 2009, 09:24 PM
Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.

Mother Teresa

Lion Spirit Walker
October 7th, 2009, 10:19 PM
So very much can be said with regard to this issue and the posts that preceed this. But I will attempt to keep this simple.
After being found to have a cancer specific to AIDS, I was thrusted into a situation of needing to entrust my two sisters with all of my belongings and allowed myself to be talked into turning over all the money I had in savings and on hand. Despite my intuition screaming at me that this was going to become a Very Hard situation, very soon there after.
I was diagnosed with Lung Cancer (the AIDS specific cancer had spread into my lungs) and began chemotherapy.
Two months into the chemotherapy, my sisters took all of my belongings, my pet cockatoo, and all of my money. And left me with an eviction notice, an electric disconnect notice, and a telephone disconnect.
If I hadn't already had the Adbrupt Awakening as I had experienced in 1994, I honestly do not believe I would be here now to type this.
My intuitive senses took over. And despite being Very sick from the cancer and chemotherapy, and rapidly took corrective meassures to insure my continued survival. And rest assured, there was no reasoning in this process, it was intuitive.
Without further illustration, I'm here now typing this.
My lessons in those experiences were humility and forgiveness.
And I firmly believe that if our path is true the Universe supports our actions.
And that we are never made to endure that which we are not yet mature enough to truly handle.
Life does indeed test us, and perfects us.

Kiran
October 8th, 2009, 03:37 PM
I have to agree completely with you Michael. We managed and survived and have grown from this.
My son was very materialistic about stuff (thanks to his father always spending a fortune on him) but this made him realise how much we take for granted and now he is a young man with his own family, has a completely different outlook on life :):two hearts:

Logio
October 8th, 2009, 11:49 PM
I have to agree completely with you Michael. We managed and survived and have grown from this.
My son was very materialistic about stuff (thanks to his father always spending a fortune on him) but this made him realise how much we take for granted and now he is a young man with his own family, has a completely different outlook on life :):two hearts:

As an aside relative to the topic, there are people in my City of Phoenix who have shopping carts full of their possessions; I think it represents a pitiful reminder of our human nature to possess things. Of course, I cannot readily relate to their situation, so perhaps this would be a bit judgemental. I see this as a less burdonsome to own the bare "essentals": book, small radio (if I could afford it), a small backpack, water bottle some hygiene stuff...maybe some extra clothing items....and food, if I was able to get some. But I don't truly know the situation of the homeless...so I am only seeing this ideal from my viewpoint.

Nathan

Rana
October 9th, 2009, 05:32 AM
when my lil brother was around 16 ,i was 17 .it was a difficult period in our lives for many personal reasons he lived homeless for a while , from that situation he discovered the diversity of people in these situations , In Melbourne after our governments had the "bright" idea to deinstitutionalise those living with what is considered by them as serious mental illness and in the longterm . this was done in the worst of ways they just closed the specialised housing units ,those under the age of 17 were given guidance and some relocated into special houses (which is the way help is offered now ) and it is shaping out to be a great system BUT those people over 17 mainly adult males make up the majority of melbournes homeless community (i say community because they identify with this as their community and family ) .the other part is the ICE epidemic , this drug has taken over the lives of many of our young people here . we have alot of city missons and soup kitchens ,my brother said he met many also that choose to live homeless because they dont want to be part of the routine and bump and grind of society . My lil bro spends his christmas day volunteering at the largest city mission serving meals and making christmas special to the many people living this way.

i saw a while ago on TV a show about a little girl who collected little care packages , they are made up of a flannel (face cloth) , tooth brush ,tooth paste,bar of soap (for a lady maybe some moisturizer) (shaving cream ?) something simple to us but a huge difference to a person living homeless. i think thats a great idea. we have a fund raiser in melbourne called the winter sleep out , people get sponsered to sllep on the streets for only one night to raise money for the mission.

there is a lady who has chosen to live homeless for more than 10 years now in Melbourne ,every year she goes to the biggest shopping center in the city and there is a piano ,she plays beautiful music , im told she was once a celebrated concert pianess ( cant spell that one) . i wait for it every year . this lady in layers of black clothing ,soiled face ,mattered hair for that moment comes alive.
on another note i did spend sometime many years ago before i met my husband , in a shelter with my then 14 month old daughter , you become very strong very fast and get your wits about you . but i am grateful they existed when i needed it.ive learned to appreciate and give .

what would i do. it would be different for what i would do for me and my children because in my mind their wellbeing comes first. i would find a mission to sleep in. if it were me alone i would go inland Australia and live with the Aboriginal people in bush.

this is a wonderful thread .

Narnia
October 9th, 2009, 06:12 PM
I am truly amazed by all the wonderful responses in this thread! Thank you my friends for sharing your strories, real life experiences and your ideas! :)

I myself - have never experienced being homeless - being left out on the street with nothing and I mean except for the clothes on your back homeless, but should I ever find myself there - I have a plan, perhaps not the best plan, but at least it is something to start with.

First I would locate a safe place that provided food and shelter. I would locate the closet art store - so I could make a list of supplies that I would need to help make me money to eventually better my position, then add up the total cost. I would locate a busy street, I would beg for money until I had collected enough money to buy a sketch pad, a few pencils, a sharpener and an easer. I would set myself up to do portrait drawings for $1 maybe $2. I would also do drawings of local scenes, in the attempt of building up an inventory of work so I could find and approach a gallery with my work - tell them my background. But my main goal would be to save as much money as I possibly could so I could upgrade to a small painting kit.

But, I would try my hardest and smartest to get myself of the streets and I would rely my art to get me out!

Logio
October 9th, 2009, 06:35 PM
First I would locate a safe place that provided food and shelter. I would locate the closet art store - so I could make a list of supplies that I would need to help make me money to eventually better my position, then add up the total cost. I would locate a busy street, I would beg for money until I had collected enough money to buy a sketch pad, a few pencils, a sharpener and an easer. I would set myself up to do portrait drawings for $1 maybe $2. I would also do drawings of local scenes, in the attempt of building up an inventory of work so I could find and approach a gallery with my work - tell them my background. But my main goal would be to save as much money as I possibly could so I could upgrade to a small painting kit.

But, I would try my hardest and smartest to get myself of the streets and I would rely my art to get me out!

Polly, this reminds me of a homeless guy at ASU (Arizona State University, in Tempe, AZ) who is a genius at creating art with spray-paint cans; he sells them for about $25.00 a piece. You would think that he would have enought money to live somewhere, but he says he prefers to be homeless...interesting.

Nathan

Narnia
October 9th, 2009, 07:04 PM
*Hm?* That is really interesting Nathan ... I am happy to hear he is able to sell his work for decent price and that he is getting recognition in the community ... as for choosing to stay homeless though ... well, I could not do that ... I love long hot showers too much to give it up completely.

In the It's Recommended forum you will find in The Movie Thread The Soloist (http://www.mysteriouswisdom.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198&page=10), about a homeless man in L.A. who is musically talented, but suffers from mental issues and perfers to stay homeless. The film is based off of a true story.