Category Archives: Thoughts

Consider, Homeless

It is all in your Perspective.

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I was recently reminded that how one feels about or looks at what is happening can very much depend very much on where you are standing. There can easily be two very different ways of seeing the same events, depending on whether one is on the inside or the outside.

I had a discussion with some people involved with the decision making process on actions to take in addressing homelessness. They felt things were moving along nicely, with all necessary speed. Later I had the chance to discuss what was taking place with the homeless. They felt things were moving at a glacial pace on making (non) decisions.

Clearly your view on these matters, whether or not decisions and actions occurred in a timely manner, was dependant on your living arrangements – literally whether you were lining on the outside or the inside of homeless issues. To those living on the outside – on the streets – and waiting on these decisions to obtain access to food, shelter, basic hygienic facilities, counselling and other forms of needed help, timely is pretty much NOW. To those making the decisions and who at the end of the “working day” go home to the comfort of shelter and food, timely does not have a set schedule or the same sense of urgency. When you think about it this difference is not surprising, that those with food and shelter lack the driving motivation for action of those without shelter or food.

Reality is that motivating those responsible for addressing problems to act in a timely manner is often difficult. How then do we provide motivation to those facing the highly complex and perplexing issues of homelessness and poverty? How do you motivate action and overcome the fear of making the tiniest mistake in a situation were even the very best choices are likely to give rise to some negative outcomes?

Creatively! I propose that those faced with making decisions on these issues be given an education immersion course that would enable them to gain first hand experience with the barriers faced by, and the needs of, those living homeless. We send those involved with planning and decision making to live in Compassion Park until some plans, decisions and actions are forthcoming. The City’s recent actions have rendered it unoccupied, clean and available for use. This way those tasked to address these issues gain both education and motivation. I am sure this would provide for planning and action in a much more timely fashion.

Consider

I may not want to listen …

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…but in regaining my mental balance I may have lost the ability to not hear. I certainly had to listen when the article I had started on this topic went elsewhere on me. I had to write the article that demanded expression and then had to go back to express the original thought/point I had wanted to make. These days, even if it is something I feel is wrong, if it is from a source that could be correct I have to consult trusted advisors. Sometimes I would rather not listen/think about what was said and try to ignore what was said – but these days ignoring what I do not want to hear seems impossible.

I was sitting in Compassion Park discussing the difficulties some of the homeless would face in transitioning off the streets. The other party in the discussion commented that I could have some trouble myself. Me? Ha! No way! We carried on our discussion, but try as I might I had hear/listened to the question which now sat at the back of my mind. In me this is where thoughts sit to ferment.

The upshot was that I could see that as much as I would like to ignore it there was a possibility that I would have trouble adjusting to indoor life again. So rather than bury my head in the sand I began to consider what I should do. From this came a plan that should enable a smooth transition.

The point is that because I could not listen, I had to think about the matter. In doing this and coming up with a transition plan to address possible problems, I hope to have ensured that transition from the streets and homelessness should not rise up and bite my a*s. Significantly reducing the chance of failure and a return to the streets.

If we all had to listen, we would all be forced to think about not only what we wanted to hear, but about the though questions, issues and decisions. Being forced to think about things our decision-making would improve. Of course then we would have to accept responsibility for what the outcome of our decisions – without having the recourse of blaming someone else.

Consider

Deductive reasoning?

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Reply to www.somethingcool.ca about welfare issue May 8, 2002

Say there Fred … Did you really mean to write the third example of: “Deductive reasoning is the key element… Sadly, this special ability given to us by whatever force is often misused, or in the case of some us living in British Columbia, not used at all. This was clearly evident in the newspaper at least twice this week” in your logic piece in the May 1, 2006 issue? Because you clearly demonstrated a lack of deductive reasoning in the statement: “Which is, of course, why welfare is at $510 a month. The purpose of this program is to give only the amount needed to acquire the most basic of necessities: as in rent, and a little bit of food. While collecting these meager funds, the welfare recipient is expected to be looking for a job, the acquisition of which will provide the person with the money to live that comfortable, happy lifestyle we talked about earlier.” Even if one chose to accept your premise that $510 is enough to provide the most basic of rent and food, and I would challenge you to demonstrate that $510 could meet those basic rent and food necessities, There is a hole in your reasoning, not to mention a total absence of the logic required to qualify as deductive, sufficiently large to fly a 747 through. Toiletries, garment cleaning, transportation, newspapers, communications are only a few of the costs required to find a job. How do you propose that the welfare recipient be looking for and acquiring a job when you provide no funds to accomplish this task?

Now it seems to me that anyone capable of “deductive reasoning” would immediately recognize the reality that if you want someone to accomplish something (employment) you need to provide them the tools (expenses) required to do the job. To expect job seekers to be successful, you need to provide them sufficient funds to cover the expenses that must be incurred to find accomplish said success. Requiring job seekers to rely on ‘abilities’ such as telepathy to communicate with prospective employers or teleportation to travel to submit résumés or attend interviews seems irrational and most definitely illogical. Clearly demonstrating a total lack of “deductive reasoning”.

Addiction, Consider

You see, but you do not observe …

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I was at an organization that shall remain nameless, let us call them SA for convenience. I was planning to attend an al-anon function (through the generosity of fellow members) celebrating 55 years of good work. So I sought out a washer and dryer so that in return for their thoughtfulness, I too would be thoughtful and have clean, sweet smelling garments. I turned on the washer and asked for the gift of laundry detergent. I was handed a sandwich sized baggy cantaining a mysterious white powder.

I have no doubt that if many of the writers of ‘letters to the editor’ and their like minded citizens had seen this exchange they would wrap themselves in self-righteousness braying “see, I told you they were all druggies!”. What then when I poured this white powder (laundry soap) into the4 washer? Well, heads into the sand with the other ‘Spuds’ lest they see something that disproves theiir vision of reality.

Me, I just poured thje soap into the washer and looked forward to tomorrow. After all in its 55 years Al-anon has helped many of us acheive a clear veiw of reality.