| Stepping up in the new year | |
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3 Jan 2010 @ 04:55, by Lynda Swanson
Last year I bought an old motor home with the intention of donating it to a family in need of shelter. I contacted numerous churches and social service groups (not capitalized intentionally). They all had reasons why they could not do the same thing when I asked them if they could also contribute. Cmon people. I spent $2000.00 on this motor home. Believe it or not that represented my entire savings. Call it an act of faith. So why is it I am wondering why those folks that represent faith institutionalized, can not donate even a parking space in their parking lots for homeless people?
Yep, you guessed it; liability, aka LACK of faith. If it was not so sad I would laugh.
As it turned out, very shortly after I bought it, my youngest son became homeless and he is now living in it.
And so I would like to talk about family dynamics for a minute. The dominos of our lives (life domains) are arranged so that all touch each other and when they start to topple they can cascade woe onto us so deep we have a hell of a time trying to dig out. How do you prevent a minor castastrophe like losing your job from bringing down all your dominos? Today is so different from days past. Families are less interconnected and the communities that we live in share few of the characteristics that I call community that's for sure. You may not agree with my observations but you can put it to a simple test. When your mom and dad fell on tough times financially due to an illness let's say; what did they do? Can you do the same thing today? You're lucky if you answered that you too could borrow a few thousand dollars from your relatives to get you back on your feet. Personally, I don't know anyone who could help me out if I lost my job due to an extended illness. Few of us have the few months worth of savings that we would need to keep us afloat while we scurry about seeking a job, shelter and food. By the way, you can't get an apartment if you don't have a job. If you're living in a tent or a car while you wait for emergency shelter you're in a fast growing community of people who are facing the hard cold facts of life.
Now imagine being very young, let's say 18 or 19. There are many young people out there fighting for survival. Now there is another segment of the population who has never been homeless also needing the resources that they depend upon for survival. This is getting really ugly isn't it?
Not to make light of a terrible situation but there is a bit of a siver lining. We are human beings. We are extremely resourceful when our back's are against the wall. There are many people out there trying to come up with answers and this is one place where we can connect. Thank you NCN for being here. I would like to talk to others who are interested in helping me to co-create an alternative to welfare and living on the edge. I believe that a person should be able to keep their dignity and in fact cultivate their inner strengths in tough times. I believe that it takes a whole community apmosphere built to stablize and nurture young people who believe in themselves and their potential.
I have contacted many people hoping to describe in detail the model I have spent many years working on. All it takes is a response, a show of interest. It's no mystery, in fact it is very simple as so many good solutions are. I want to know that you're out there, also working on your own ways to help. Talk to me. Tell me what you have in your heads and hearts. I would like to share with you too.
Perhaps together we can make things happen, soon. There are so many right now that need our help.
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Category: Articles
3 comments
3 Jan 2010 @ 07:28 by scotty : Hey Lynda
welcome to the logs :-)
seems to me that you're a lady who walks her talk !
don't know many (if any) people who'd spend all of their savings to create a haven for those in need !
Look forward to getting to know you and sharing with you.
( all the best to you and your loved ones for 2010 )
3 Jan 2010 @ 07:35 by : :}
welcome :}
1 Oct 2010 @ 12:15 by : down the road
It's been close to a year since I wrote the last little blurb.
I'm no closer to bringing together a community than I was before. Much farther behind than I had imagined in fact. A faint pulse of life collectively through a rare comment here and there. This is such a burning truth and desperate need I just don't get it. Each day that goes by clarifies the need for such a communal experiment in my heart and mind. And yet....nothin. This seems to be a site where a person might share some fairly daring thoughts without a scoff but where is the communication? A critique? Isn't anyone even willing to be a naysayer? Static. Awesome. I'm not trying to set Rome on fire here just to see it burn. I am trying to set a fire in someone's heart, several someones! I understand caution, I don't understand complete disinterest in helping young people get their feet under themselves.
Come out, come out where ever you are.
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