I took a picture on Sunday, 10/24/2010 of a group of homeless people near a beach on Cannery Row.
Saturday night, as I was interviewing two men, I wondered if they could have been in that spot when I drove by and captured the image of their lives.
So, look at the man standing up on the far right with a hat on.
Now look at the man sitting down with a white shirt on.
OK, scroll back to Saturday's blog posting and take a good look at Dan and Al.
"Bingo!"
It is now Sunday night and as I write this, I am sitting in a large house on the top of a hill in Carmel Valley. The bed I am in is soft, clean and comfortable. I have pillows to lean against in any position I could imagine. To my right are shelves which start at the floor and extend almost to the ceiling. There is a lamp on the bottom shelf which I can turn on or off as needed. The other shelves are filled with books of all types and from a wide variety of authors. A TV is perched on a stand across the room from me and a remote control is next to my bed. A carpet on this hardwood floor cuts down the sounds and provides me with a nice feeling in the middle of the night. Oh yeah, there is a roof over my head to protect me from the sun and rain.
At this very moment, Dan is probably still passed out from an excessive intake of alcohol from earlier tonight when I saw him last. Al is more than likely in a spot on the beach with his dog, Cricket. Trying their best to stay warm, dry and out of sight of the police, and of the tourists. Sand, rocks, seagulls, salt spray and bugs enhance the ambiance of Monterey on this night. This must sound pretty miserable to you, right?
To Dan and Al, this is the norm. Just leave them alone and do not try to force your kindness on them if it involves getting them a real job, making them take a shower each day or living in a house with rules deemed acceptable by society. Buy them a pizza and sit down with them in their space, talk with them for an hour or so. Listen to what they have to say. Have a kind heart and understand that not everyone wants to drive an automobile, mow a lawn, buy balloons for a birthday party and they definitely do not feel the need to send thank you notes to those who have helped them in so many ways. A simple "Thanks, Ken" was plenty.
I once heard someone say that the homeless could find help if they wanted it. They could also become better people if they tried. Define the word Better. Al was so happy to see the pizza placed before us that he reached into his pocket and handed me a huge fistful of sealed candy. "Happy Halloween!" Two days ago, I held $0.67 in my hands and was OK with that. Tonight, I am feasting on chocolates given to me by a friend, a stranger and someone who is proud to own nothing at all.
For these men and women, the word Freedom means living the way they choose without harming anyone else. Why take that away? Let me guess...they don't contribute to society? They did on this night.
Mozi on...
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