Home is where the heart is...

They say home is where the heart is, but where is home when home is lost?

Dreams to raise a family, dreams to be successful, and dreams to be happy. Similar desires that are universal across the world. But there’s one concept that our parents, our academic bubbles, our experiences never taught us: Life after dreams.

After attaining a stable career, a family, happiness, what do you do when life collapses around you? What do you do when there’s nothing to save you? There is no cheat sheet for handling a foreclosure, a drained savings account, a broken marriage, or a downward spiraling job market.

As such, the amazing journeys of the individuals we met at the homeless shelter are a prime example that we can’t keep up with the punches life is throwing sometimes. Their stories of hitting rock bottom, and making the most one step at a time to gather a footing are truly inspirational.

One peculiar man said, “Every morning I wake up at 3, holla at all my friends ‘round town, and provide them a little snack from my breakfast bag. I gotta take care of my friends y’know?” It brings me back to the days of grade school, when trading a fruit-roll up for a pouch of Cheez-itz was blasphemy in the 4^th grade lunch market. Which begs the question, why is it that even today I often have trouble giving up what I want, regardless of how much I have of it?

As Bonnie Raitt once sang, “I can’t make you love me if you don’t….” it’s a similar situation for society at large. No one can make us show love and desire towards the impoverished. But when a homeless man is providing for his friends on the streets, showing compassion when his own resources are scarce, what do we have to say as the rest of society?

Do we rationalize? Say that homelessness is self-induced? Do we excuse ourselves? Say that our help to them does not solve anything? Or do we empathize? And believe. Truly believe that sometimes all a lost home needs to find their way back home is a compassionate heart to guide them. 

-Frank