Sometimes I marvel at what I danced to.
After college I taught an ED/BD class in an urban school district (ED/BD stood for emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered). Two of my housemates were gay and I would go dancing with them on weekends. The gay clubs were so far away from the poverty, mental illness and despair I dealt with in the classroom. Beautiful boys (oh, how beautiful), booze and beats. Such a lovely combination. Did I mention the booze?
So it amazes me that I danced, complete with pantomime, to the following lyrics:
She wakes up early every morning
Just to do her hair now, because she cares y’all
Her day wouldn’t be right
Without her make up – she’s never without her makeup
She’s just like you and me but she’s homeless
She’s homeless
And she stands there singing for money
La da dee la da doo, la da dee la da doo
Now, what seems like 3 lifetimes ago I live in a different part of the country. In the morning I drop off my kids at their various schools and take the commuter train into the big city. I work for an organization that helps low-income women gain work skills to get out of poverty. One of our services is a homeless shelter for over 60 families. I have to steel myself when I go to the site. Watching young mothers care for their children in such a public place, with so little to call their own, is painful.
But strangely the woman who catches my breath every day, twice a day, has recently set up her belongings in the doorway of the train station I race through. She stands by the door surrounded by plastic bags in a grocery cart, a suitcase and other bags. She has a winter coat, hat and sturdy sneakers. She looks to be in her late 40’s but living on the street ages people – fast.
I’m always late for work or late to catch the train to go home. She stands in the same spot next to the door looking out the window. Part of me really wants to stop and ask her how she is doing. But I don’t feel like taking on yet another person’s problems. But would I? Maybe all she would want is a greeting. Someone among the hundreds who race by her to say “hi”. Or maybe she likes the anonymity.
But what embarrasses me the most is that Crystal Waters is in my head as I race by. I can’t believe I think of a 1990’s dance tune when I see this homeless woman.
La da dee la da doo la da dee la da doo
Allison is visiting today courtesy of The Blog Exchange. Usually her posts are about the quirky and maddening behavior of her 6 ½ year old twin sons and 2 ¾ year old daughter but instead she decided to share her maudlin side. You can read Jodi’s piece about a song at http://denyingsoccermom.blogspot.com/. Go to http://www.theblogexchange.net/> to learn more about the exchange.
If you want to learn more about homelessness in your area and how you can help (e.g. drop off at a shelter all those hotel-size shampoos and soaps you have in the bathroom) visit the National Coalition for the Homeless state partners list at http://www.nationalhomeless.org/resources/local/local.html.
Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)
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{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
Commenting from the road:
This was a great post – as a rural resident, I don’t confront the ranks of the homeless everyday anymore – and courtesy of Katrina, I got a whopping taste of how this feels. Thanks for reminding me.
Commenting from the road:
This was a great post – as a rural resident, I don’t confront the ranks of the homeless everyday anymore – and courtesy of Katrina, I got a whopping taste of how this feels. Thanks for reminding me.
Commenting from the road:
This was a great post – as a rural resident, I don’t confront the ranks of the homeless everyday anymore – and courtesy of Katrina, I got a whopping taste of how this feels. Thanks for reminding me.
Commenting from the road:
This was a great post – as a rural resident, I don’t confront the ranks of the homeless everyday anymore – and courtesy of Katrina, I got a whopping taste of how this feels. Thanks for reminding me.
Thank you for reminding us there are people waaaay less fortunate than we are.
Thank you for reminding us there are people waaaay less fortunate than we are.
Thank you for reminding us there are people waaaay less fortunate than we are.
Thank you for reminding us there are people waaaay less fortunate than we are.
Funny how things change from college to real life.
It seems unfair so many are affected by poverty.
Funny how things change from college to real life.
It seems unfair so many are affected by poverty.
Funny how things change from college to real life.
It seems unfair so many are affected by poverty.
Funny how things change from college to real life.
It seems unfair so many are affected by poverty.
Allison, as I’ve said before you have an eviable job. We should all be doing something meaningful as you do with our lives.
Great post. Reminds me of all the homeless people I walked by when I lived in NYC. Some wanted to be helped, some didn’t. The guy that used to shack up on the street in front of my building preferred the streets. It can be sad.
Allison, as I’ve said before you have an eviable job. We should all be doing something meaningful as you do with our lives.
Great post. Reminds me of all the homeless people I walked by when I lived in NYC. Some wanted to be helped, some didn’t. The guy that used to shack up on the street in front of my building preferred the streets. It can be sad.
Allison, as I’ve said before you have an eviable job. We should all be doing something meaningful as you do with our lives.
Great post. Reminds me of all the homeless people I walked by when I lived in NYC. Some wanted to be helped, some didn’t. The guy that used to shack up on the street in front of my building preferred the streets. It can be sad.
Allison, as I’ve said before you have an eviable job. We should all be doing something meaningful as you do with our lives.
Great post. Reminds me of all the homeless people I walked by when I lived in NYC. Some wanted to be helped, some didn’t. The guy that used to shack up on the street in front of my building preferred the streets. It can be sad.
We should all be so lucky as to have this kind of reminder. It’s easy to get caught up in our challenges. I applaud you for having the courage to fulfill a need in our society with work that must age your soul, much like th e street does to its citizens. Thank you. Truly inspiring.
We should all be so lucky as to have this kind of reminder. It’s easy to get caught up in our challenges. I applaud you for having the courage to fulfill a need in our society with work that must age your soul, much like th e street does to its citizens. Thank you. Truly inspiring.
We should all be so lucky as to have this kind of reminder. It’s easy to get caught up in our challenges. I applaud you for having the courage to fulfill a need in our society with work that must age your soul, much like th e street does to its citizens. Thank you. Truly inspiring.
We should all be so lucky as to have this kind of reminder. It’s easy to get caught up in our challenges. I applaud you for having the courage to fulfill a need in our society with work that must age your soul, much like th e street does to its citizens. Thank you. Truly inspiring.
Allison-I hope you had a wonderful time at Jodifur today! I loved the post.
Allison-I hope you had a wonderful time at Jodifur today! I loved the post.
Allison-I hope you had a wonderful time at Jodifur today! I loved the post.
Allison-I hope you had a wonderful time at Jodifur today! I loved the post.
Until a few months ago, I also worked at a nonprofit that assisted low income families. After only 10 years of this work, I burned out and decided I needed some time off. Still, every day I feel guilty that I am not using my skills to help other people. It’s a martyr complex to some extent, but I think that it is even more that I want to do what good I can in a cruel world, even when it makes me miserable.
Great post.
Until a few months ago, I also worked at a nonprofit that assisted low income families. After only 10 years of this work, I burned out and decided I needed some time off. Still, every day I feel guilty that I am not using my skills to help other people. It’s a martyr complex to some extent, but I think that it is even more that I want to do what good I can in a cruel world, even when it makes me miserable.
Great post.
Until a few months ago, I also worked at a nonprofit that assisted low income families. After only 10 years of this work, I burned out and decided I needed some time off. Still, every day I feel guilty that I am not using my skills to help other people. It’s a martyr complex to some extent, but I think that it is even more that I want to do what good I can in a cruel world, even when it makes me miserable.
Great post.
Until a few months ago, I also worked at a nonprofit that assisted low income families. After only 10 years of this work, I burned out and decided I needed some time off. Still, every day I feel guilty that I am not using my skills to help other people. It’s a martyr complex to some extent, but I think that it is even more that I want to do what good I can in a cruel world, even when it makes me miserable.
Great post.
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there are always so many people who are in such difficult situations, it difficult not to feel overwhelmed – especially after working so hard to change things all day! yay to you – and thank you for this post to remind the rest of us!
(Jenn via the Blog Exchange)
there are always so many people who are in such difficult situations, it difficult not to feel overwhelmed – especially after working so hard to change things all day! yay to you – and thank you for this post to remind the rest of us!
(Jenn via the Blog Exchange)
there are always so many people who are in such difficult situations, it difficult not to feel overwhelmed – especially after working so hard to change things all day! yay to you – and thank you for this post to remind the rest of us!
(Jenn via the Blog Exchange)
there are always so many people who are in such difficult situations, it difficult not to feel overwhelmed – especially after working so hard to change things all day! yay to you – and thank you for this post to remind the rest of us!
(Jenn via the Blog Exchange)
You know, I like your maudlin side SMID! What a fun little stumble upon and older post I made today… yours and Jodi’s both.
You really amaze me.
You know, I like your maudlin side SMID! What a fun little stumble upon and older post I made today… yours and Jodi’s both.
You really amaze me.
You know, I like your maudlin side SMID! What a fun little stumble upon and older post I made today… yours and Jodi’s both.
You really amaze me.
You know, I like your maudlin side SMID! What a fun little stumble upon and older post I made today… yours and Jodi’s both.
You really amaze me.