Mr. Williamson obviously doesn't spend much time around folks experiencing homelessness because if he did, he'd know that almost half of them (44 percent or so) have jobs. I'm not tossing him under the bus here, just pointing out the fact that like many other Americans, Mr. Williamson is ignorant of the situation facing many people on the street.Every day I work with people whose honor and integrity shames many of those I've worked with in high level positions at a variety of different jobs. I've watched a man who I know hadn't eaten all weekend turn down a plate of food because there were women with kids in the line behind him.
I've watched more than one person give the coat off their back to someone standing in front of them cold and shirtless. I've seen people bring complete strangers into a tent and allow them a warm, dry and safe place to sleep during a cold spell. I've seen acts of kindness and gratitude so powerful it makes your heart ache and your soul cry, all by people mainstream society has essentially written off as "no good, lazy, shiftless, criminal, and street-trash."
What You'll Learn From A Homeless Man
Travesty by Travis Williamson
I was driving home from school last week and saw a homeless man sitting on the side of the road holding a sign. I’m really not sure if he was homeless or not, but I guess that doesn’t really matter. I don’t know what his name was either, but we’ll call him Sam. What matters was what he had written on the sign he was holding.
“Hungry. Need Work.”
At first, I didn’t pay much attention to this man and thought him to be just another homeless guy on some street corner. Then I saw something truly amazing. The person driving the car two cars ahead of me called Sam over and rolled down his window. Admittedly, I was rocking out to some Meat Loaf and didn’t have my windows down so I didn’t hear the conversation, but this is what I saw happen.
Sam walked over to the car and the man produced what looked like twenty dollar bill and held it out to him. Then Sam simply smiled, shook his head, and pointed to his sign then walked back to the corner. Some people may call that stupidity, some may call it insanity, but in that moment I had a lot of respect for Sam…and in all honestly I am probably insane too. I suppose he meant what his sign said, “Need Work.” Not need money, not need food, but need work. I need an opportunity to have some pride in myself.
You know, for a homeless guy, this man really seems to have it together. Here is a guy who literally has nothing, no money, no home, and no family. Nothing. Yet he still has his pride and his work ethic. He is vehemently opposed to handouts; he wants to earn his money. Maybe I am crazy for reading so much into this, but I feel like this man’s character could stand as an example to everybody. I don’t know this man and I don’t know what he did or what happened to him to land him in such a bad position. And I do agree that no one can help you if you’re not willing to help yourself.
Still though there is something to be said about this man’s ethics if nothing else.
In a time where failure is rewarded, people are relying on others to take care of them, looking for handouts; here is a man who is literally the crux of poverty in America who is looking to try to earn a living.
This man should stand as an example as to what the crux of what America is about, prospering from your efforts, working hard, and when you fail, getting back up and starting from the bottom. I feel like I really learned something from literally the last place I thought I would learn anything from.
Remember; never close your ears to anyone because you never really know what you’ll learn.
