Homelessness

I was walking into work today and, just like every other day, I walked by several homeless people on the benches outside the metro station. There is one man in particular that I worry about if I don't see every morning. He has a cot, sleeping bag, and seems to be friendly with the voices in his head. He's often telling a story. Today, his story was about his drug addicted friend who he thought was clean, but then he brought out a kit and tried to get him to use, too, and he just couldn't. In that moment, I was both struck by his candor and deeply sad for him that he has no one to tell his stories.

I often think about the chronically homeless and it hurts my heart. I hate to admit it, but some of what I feel for them is driven by my own selfishness and blessedness all at once. I know for a fact that if it wasn't for my family, my church, and my friends, I could very well wind up homeless and would die very quickly.

Chronic illness is not a cheap proposition. I put over $2000 in my FSA this year (for the first time, I have one and it is SO EXCITING) and I know it very well may not be enough. I also don't use it for everything I could, so... You get the idea. Combined with the portion of my insurance I pay myself, though that is a small portion, I spend over 10% of my income on my health care. Frankly, I get off pretty cheap.

What does this have to do with homelessness? But for the Grace of God, there go I. What happens when a chronically ill person loses a job in this economy? I was unemployed for 3 months last year, and I can tell you, without the stimulus bill, I would not have been able to afford the $1500 in COBRA payments for that period. I also would not have been able to afford my rent, without some outside financial help. I honestly do not know how people subsist on unemployment checks, especially around here, and I saw firsthand how easy it would be to slip into homelessness, even with a college education.

Every time I see a homeless person, I'm struck by the fact that most of them just need someone to take care of them and treat their illnesses, whether they be addicted to something, mentally ill, or whatever. I know how very lucky I am and have been to have the people I do. I just wish there were some way I could provide that kind of support to those people.