What I Have Learned

The first thing I learned about homelessness was how difficult it was to get out of homelessness, once you became homeless. The obstacles out of homelessness are great and many.

The Second thing I learned about homelessness was how the general public just did not understand the realities of homelessness. It was then I began my attempts at telling people the truth about homelessness. It was my belief that if the general public understood homelessness better, that most, if not all, obstacles out of homelessness would be removed.

The Third thing I learned about homelessness was that the general public didn't know the realities of homelessness, not so much because if ignorance, but because of denial. They really don't want to know about the realities of homelessness. That is when I began to think my efforts to educate people about homelessness were mostly futile.

The Fourth thing I learned about homelessness was that homeless people react to this rejection from the general population with resentment and spitefulness. And the homeless then build their own walls and obstacles between themselves and the general public. So that whenever a rouge group of non-homeless people sets out to help the homeless, and make a genuine attempt to learn about homelessness, and actually help the homeless, their efforts meet a great deal of resistance from the homeless.

I don't know how to overcome this resistance from people on both sides of the homeless chasm - how to change their minds, and their hearts. I believe that this is the key, though. Getting people to see and admit the truth of homelessness, and for homeless people to let down their guard, is most necessary to bring about an end to homelessness.