I am my Brother’s Keeper and Sister too!

It’s my belief we are morally required to look after our fellow man. However, it’s also my belief it is best you work, if you want to eat. As is the norm for me, I’m divided via beliefs as I attempt to figure out what is the best way to be. And as I live I’ve discovered or I am discovering, perhaps there is no Right answer that is illuminated by way of neon lights "THIS IS THE WAY" we just feel our way—as one’s conscience dictates how–individually we react to any given situation. Usually when I encounter a homeless person carrying a sign, hungry and homeless I avert my gaze. Why, perhaps it makes me all too aware it could be me, or perhaps I wonder is it a scam? Or even why don’t you get a job, there’s surely something you could do? Who knows, for whatever reason I basically ignore the best I’m able. Yet the other day while driving to the Hospital, when I stopped at a traffic light, there he was—extremely thin, wearing dirty tattered clothes, minus two front teeth holding a sign that says Homeless and Hungry. I looked his way, and he smiled, unable to avoid his gaze and eyes I immediately looked away. Then something I read surfaced an exchange on a discussion board, a young man–declaring as a college student he was a Liberal, but now he is a Republican. One reason being the poor he has decided they’re this way because either they’re too stupid or too lazy; which could there be a substantial amount of truth in this. Does that mean they deserve the position they’re in? Then again, many who’re homeless they’re mentally ill. And when it comes to mental illness—that includes a wide range via definition, and is depression, or stupidity, or for that matter—being lazy something we choose to be? And what about mental illness, which could definitely apply to me if that, includes clinical depression? If you’re not familiar with depression, the deep dark kind that can lead to drug addictions—there is a substantial amount of time lost due to depression, much more than one might think. I’ve read that depression can be more debilitating than cancer or heart disease. Difficult to believe unless you’ve experienced this yourself. It can be so severe that a person is unable to hold down a job or at best, perform effectively. I was lucky; my malady [clinical depression] did affect my work performance, though slightly—still when at my worst I didn’t do my best work. I have an uncle who’s a brilliant self made multi millionaire. Who has been hospitalized several times for clinical depression? When he experiences these spells he is unable to get off of the couch and get dressed. It is amazing to witness the transformation, had he not received assistance from those that cared could he have become a number in the statistics labeled homeless? And what about the homeless–we are witnessing a change of face as to who this predicament covers. Many are belonging to the over 50 crowd according to Nan Roman president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness in Washington, says " More people are becoming homeless when they’re older, which is new. The program that inoculated older people against homelessness are not keeping up." Poverty has always been—yet, basically ignored, because hey that didn’t really affect me. Now however, and due to the recent current events, this will probably be doubling if not tripling–it’s hitting middle class, and people have begun to pay attention. Is it just a matter of being dumb and lazy that determines homelessness, or are we indeed our brother’s keepers, contributing to the welfare of all by our deeds AND misdeeds? By the way—I dug in my purse and presented the man with a few bills. Considering I was raised on do unto others….sometime you have to know what and when to give. Because giving too much can be as detrimental as not giving enough. In this case at that precise moment I felt the need to give, so I did. And if he spent it on booze or it was scam I don’t really care. As I believe regardless of appearance we are all peddling as fast as we can, and what you do contributes to me and my actions contribute to you. Does that mean everyone should have a free handout all of the time? No, in many circumstances the kinder thing to do is help them help themselves…..but whatever the circumstance, we are all in this thing together, and as the world shrinks, that would include globally. Sometimes, we just need for the moment a helping hand.