pythonlover
good question
24 Answers
robertgrist
Best answer!
Having been technically homeless, dependent upon the charity of others, as a stranger in a strange land is an interesting and strange place to be. During that time I remember that my choices for getting through the day were very limited and my faith in the love and leadership of God was all that kept me going. My brain was working feverishly while I knew I had to relax and let God. I preferred not to talk to others about my situation because I preferred my inner dialog with the strength and Light of God that gave me a childlike interest and curiosity that filled my life and comforted me. Others around me cursed their every breath and behaved like crude animals, others angrily protected their shopping carts of cans and rags as the only meaning and value in their life. Someone tossed a hamburger and french fries on me as I laid on a cardboard box. I was grateful and cried myself back to sleep. Life in the gutter is hard. Some people will steal your shoes if yours look better. Rape and brawls are too common. Illegal drugs are prolific not enough opiates to quell the pain. People you know die of disease and untreated infections or are murdered in the night. I have been in that hell. Sleeping under a bridge, warming up next to a burning car seat and dining on dog meat…I was an explorer in this real and picked up snarled fishing line and a hook to fish for perch in the oil stained water there. I became more self reliant and used the things I found or got from the garbage to made crude tools and to get my life back into a more orderly fashion. Today, I own my own home and I know so much about survival without going to jail or accepting hand-outs that I am continuing to make progress, study old forgotten ways of living and aim for states of independent self-sufficiency that are above my present state. I follow the will of God and I have goals that are accumulative of experience…it is this that is the will of God…our gathering of experience and realizing our own progress.
I don’t feel sorry for people on the street…to them life is very challenging unlike anything many people have ever known. There are many ways off the streets and they just need to find their way in the will and way of God within. The bible to them is best applied as toilet paper and fire starter. Been there and done that and look what a nice guy I turned up to be.
pythonlover
Ann
itsmee
doublehelix
melandrupert
I don’t feel sorry for people on the street…to them life is very challenging unlike anything many people have ever known. There are many ways off the streets and they just need to find their way in the will and way of God within. The bible to them is best applied as toilet paper and fire starter. Been there and done that and look what a nice guy I turned up to be.
| 13 years ago. Rating: 27 | |
Thanks for sharing your personal story,it tells me your faith and sheer determination got you through this difficult time in your life.
That is a powerfull story of events that happened to you. With determination and sheer will God changed the course of your life. God bless.
robertgrist: write a book. not many people have your will. you have a power. it kills me to see the homeless.
Wow. What a great guy :D !! I've been nearly homeless but not that kind...
Great to know you survived, found your path and ended up in a good place :)
Great to know you survived, found your path and ended up in a good place :)
thank you Robert for sharing this wow have ever thought about writing a book! it would be a best seller think about it and i am so pleased you had god with you thanks again
Ann
daren1
ed shank
Of course. I count my blessings every time I see a homeless person. The banks threw many of them out of their homes. Instead of working something out with the homeowner, they would rather see them empty. Makes no sense to me. The system has no compassion at all. I can't say here what I would do with those in power, but a wood chipper comes to mind.
| 13 years ago. Rating: 17 | |
leeroy
Absolutely yes, the people have no idea where their next meal is coming from, or if it's coming at all. There is little shelter or few places that help the homeless depending what city you are in.
If you don't have a phone number or address, you can't get a job.
If you don't have somewhere to wash your clothes or take a shower and go to a job interview smelling, you won't get hired.
Part of the problem with some of them is that they have psychological problems, or they have drug and alcohol problems. This may be what caused them to loose everything to begin with.
People treat them like they are diseased and a lower form of life, they aren't treated with respect like any human being should. Sometimes they are beaten by teen's or men in their twenties as for sport.
The street is mean and survival depends on how well you can protect yourself, there is a homeless pecking order. The toughest ones are the ones that control certain areas, and you have to pay tribute to them to live under their bridge etc. It's a horrible existence, and I have barely scratched the surface. I have worked and do work with ministries that help the homeless.
More people should go out of their way to give them a meal, not money they can buy drugs or beer with. The problem is some people view them as sub human.
If you don't have a phone number or address, you can't get a job.
If you don't have somewhere to wash your clothes or take a shower and go to a job interview smelling, you won't get hired.
Part of the problem with some of them is that they have psychological problems, or they have drug and alcohol problems. This may be what caused them to loose everything to begin with.
People treat them like they are diseased and a lower form of life, they aren't treated with respect like any human being should. Sometimes they are beaten by teen's or men in their twenties as for sport.
The street is mean and survival depends on how well you can protect yourself, there is a homeless pecking order. The toughest ones are the ones that control certain areas, and you have to pay tribute to them to live under their bridge etc. It's a horrible existence, and I have barely scratched the surface. I have worked and do work with ministries that help the homeless.
More people should go out of their way to give them a meal, not money they can buy drugs or beer with. The problem is some people view them as sub human.
| 13 years ago. Rating: 17 | |
carmaxable
Ms Sinclair
6dogs4us
I feel badly for the ones that have nowhere to go, have no choice but to live in their cars or in shelters or on the streets.
There are those that are mentally ill that choose to live on the streets, they are the ones that need psychiatric help to realize they really do have a life somewhere and shown how to cope with it.
Yes, I have compassion for these people. I do not have the means to monetarily help them but wish that I did.
Ms Sinclair
There are those that are mentally ill that choose to live on the streets, they are the ones that need psychiatric help to realize they really do have a life somewhere and shown how to cope with it.
Yes, I have compassion for these people. I do not have the means to monetarily help them but wish that I did.
| 13 years ago. Rating: 14 | |
Not all people who live on the streets are mentally ill. Where I live (N.Y.C.) it is sometimes safer to be on the street than in a shelter. People are often robbed, raped, and abused in those establishments.
melandrupert
The answer is YES most of us this can count our blessings and thank you Robert grist for sharing that and thank god you are here today as a lot of homeless people are less fortunate I know when I go shoping a city I look at the young and the old homeless people and I always give them some change I wish I could help them further I do help in charitys but then i wonder do they get this money I do hope so god bless them all
| 13 years ago. Rating: 13 | |
Headless Man
facebook
I do feel for homeless people,don't know why thing are as they are, it seem so unfair for the weaker or uneducated people,I do give to some charity,but it never enough,I count my blessing that God always look after my needs,so I pray for them too,at the end we will be all in the same place.
| 13 years ago. Rating: 6 | |
Desirae
Darci13
Bob/PKB
terryfossil 1
Tommyh
Absolutely! But then there are those who choose to be homeless. What about them?
| 8 years ago. Rating: 3 | |
I was homeless for two years w/o any help from my family. (They thought they were teaching me a lesson, I think )I made it. Kept clean, ate (other homeless taught me how ). Found the right shrink after 29 years of searching, had one hellava tan,made some darn good friends that I still know today. We took care of each other like a club almost. Wouldn't trade a minute of it. Does this answer you at all?
BTW.I have tried to help homeless people & was surprised at the reaction I got. Hence the question in my answer.
Avster
and why is that your buisness
Flip
| 13 years ago. Rating: 2 | |
@Avster: We make it her business, being a question and answer site. What side of the bed did you get out of this morning?
why do u all hate me FYI i said that 2 flip not u
pythonlover
| 13 years ago. Rating: 1 | |
I dont hate you ,i dont even know you,i just didn't like your comment when you asked me why is it my buisness to ask this question,i have nothing personal against the homeless just wondering if people give them the time of day.
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