Sunday Musings – February 13,2022
The courage to see and be seen.
It is tempting to identify myself and others with labels which are designed to hide or mask our shared humanness. Labeling a person as homeless rather than being homeless is one way we can discount another.
Anytime I leave the perimeter of the condo community in which I currently make my home I am forced to encounter a significant number of people who appear to be homeless. These are:
o Individuals and families who are newly homeless; those who may be the working poor; whose income does not meet the demands of the current housing market.
o Individuals and families whose home is their car. Their income also does not meet the demands of the housing market.
o Individuals and families whose background check reveals a felony or other designation which makes them ineligible for subsidized housing in the United States’ system.
o Individuals and families whose primary diagnosis is mental illness including addiction and who are unable to keep a job or quality for disability or SSI.
o Individuals and families who do not feel safe in enclosed housing.
o Individuals and families who have been directly or indirectly forcibly removed or tricked into leaving their home country.
o Individuals and who are fleeing physical, economic and emotional property or violence.
o Those children who do not feel safe for whatever reason(s) living with their biological families.
o Individuals and families who may qualified for assistance but who are too embarrassed or shameful to ask for assistance; those who have bought into the myth/lie that good people are able to provide for themselves.
o Individuals and families who do not have a work visa or green card.
o Individuals and families who are homeless for other reasons.
I am also aware that those who are homeless include:
o Individuals and families who are chronically underpaid.
o Individuals and families who do not have the language or other skills to be included in the current economy.
o Individuals and families who may have no education or who have professional or graduate school education and even professional licenses.
o Individuals and families representing all age groups, races, genders, and backgrounds.
o Individuals and families who are my potential spiritual teachers.
o Individuals and families who likely have more refined living skills than I have ever had or can hope to have.
o Individuals and families who may be intellectually and emotionally much healthier than I am.
It is tempting to see the homeless or not “see” them. If we merely see and label those individuals and families who are homeless” we are not seeing them. If I do not see myself in them, I am not seeing them.
The Truth is changes in the economy could easily thrust me into their ranks. The fact that I am not homeless today has more to do with luck or chance than any difference in training, education, my worth or willingness to work.
It is also true that those who are homeless may not, at times, be visible to each other. I may not be visible to them. We can each, no matter what our current life dance, be invisible to each other. If we do not have the courage to “see” each other, we remain a country of
“us and them”. If I do not have the courage to see and be seem I remain part of the problem and not part of the solution. If we do not see each other we will continue to destroy homeless camps rather than making them more livable or helping the individuals and families create a safer camp.
Today my spiritual intention is to claim the courage to see and to allow myself to be seen.
Written February 13, 2022
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Sunday Musings – February 13,2022
The courage to see and be seen.
It is tempting to identify myself and others with labels which are designed to hide or mask our shared humanness. Labeling a person as homeless rather than being homeless is one way we can discount another.
Anytime I leave the perimeter of the condo community in which I currently make my home I am forced to encounter a significant number of people who appear to be homeless. These are:
o Individuals and families who are newly homeless; those who may be the working poor; whose income does not meet the demands of the current housing market.
o Individuals and families whose home is their car. Their income also does not meet the demands of the housing market.
o Individuals and families whose background check reveals a felony or other designation which makes them ineligible for subsidized housing in the United States’ system.
o Individuals and families whose primary diagnosis is mental illness including addiction and who are unable to keep a job or quality for disability or SSI.
o Individuals and families who do not feel safe in enclosed housing.
o Individuals and families who have been directly or indirectly forcibly removed or tricked into leaving their home country.
o Individuals and who are fleeing physical, economic and emotional property or violence.
o Those children who do not feel safe for whatever reason(s) living with their biological families.
o Individuals and families who may qualified for assistance but who are too embarrassed or shameful to ask for assistance; those who have bought into the myth/lie that good people are able to provide for themselves.
o Individuals and families who do not have a work visa or green card.
o Individuals and families who are homeless for other reasons.
I am also aware that those who are homeless include:
o Individuals and families who are chronically underpaid.
o Individuals and families who do not have the language or other skills to be included in the current economy.
o Individuals and families who may have no education or who have professional or graduate school education and even professional licenses.
o Individuals and families representing all age groups, races, genders, and backgrounds.
o Individuals and families who are my potential spiritual teachers.
o Individuals and families who likely have more refined living skills than I have ever had or can hope to have.
o Individuals and families who may be intellectually and emotionally much healthier than I am.
It is tempting to see the homeless or not “see” them. If we merely see and label those individuals and families who are homeless” we are not seeing them. If I do not see myself in them, I am not seeing them.
The Truth is changes in the economy could easily thrust me into their ranks. The fact that I am not homeless today has more to do with luck or chance than any difference in training, education, my worth or willingness to work.
It is also true that those who are homeless may not, at times, be visible to each other. I may not be visible to them. We can each, no matter what our current life dance, be invisible to each other. If we do not have the courage to “see” each other, we remain a country of
“us and them”. If I do not have the courage to see and be seem I remain part of the problem and not part of the solution. If we do not see each other we will continue to destroy homeless camps rather than making them more livable or helping the individuals and families create a safer camp.
Today my spiritual intention is to claim the courage to see and to allow myself to be seen.
Written February 13, 2022
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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