The Busy-ness of Homelessness (Day 48 - September 8, 2011)

"REALLY?!?   I always thought that homeless had a lot of time on their hands."  That's what a friend of mine remarked when I told him how busy I was with this project.  While there are some homeless that give credence to this belief, it's not so with respect to most homeless.  I'm reminded of the saying . . .

Although this phase of That Poverty Project is about experiencing the self sacrifice of not having the comforts of home . . . the overall project is centered upon communication and building awareness.  So . . . I am writing, blogging, posting, tweeting, media-release-sending, contact-initiating, responding and several other "ings" all day long.  While most people who are actually homeless . . . street homeless, couch surfers, refugees, displaced people, and those living in urban slums . . . are not busy in way that I am, they are often occupied more than most people think.

Yesterday, I didn't write a blog because I was absolutely exhausted for some reason.  I managed to get a few things done, but it was like I was in slow motion all day. While I am definitely not depressed, it reminded me of periods of time in my life when I was in deep depression.  On those days, it took forever to simply get up and get dressed for the day (and sometimes the "get dressed" part didn't happen).  Simply going for a walk or making a sandwich were major exertions, and in some ways major accomplishments.  I only mention this because the homeless are disproportionately afflicted with mental health issues and it is one of the things which can completely "fill" someone's day.  For some mental illness is the reason they are homeless, and for others it is a result of them being homeless.

(ANNOUNCER VOICE . . . now a break in this blog for a few words about depression because a lot of people just don't understand it . . . Depression is a mental and physical illness described by the World Health Organization as the leading cause of disability worldwide.  In Canada, for instance, mental illness will affect 20% of Canadians in their lifetime . . . with depression and anxiety disorder being the most common mental illnesses.  Click here for more statistics.  And now back to the blog . . . )

Even if a homeless person is not busy with depression or some other mental health issue, they can still be busy in a variety of other ways.  Many homeless are employed . . . whether they be street homeless, couch surfers, or urban slum dwellers . . . and simply do not earn enough to put a proper roof over their heads.  And, even if not employed, simply surviving takes a whole lot of energy and a whack of time.  Gathering the necessities of life, walking everywhere, not having any life-enhancing time-saving tools . . . all add up to busy-ness.  However, it's not the type of busy-ness where if you don't get something checked off a "to-do" list you'll just have to do it tomorrow.  It's the type of busy-ness where if you don't get it done you and your family may not eat today . . . or survive for long. 

AND . . . try doing anything with less energy because you have poor nutrition or because you're enduring the outdoor elements all the time.  (I think it is the latter that caused my tiredness yesterday.)

We can get a small glimpse at the busy-ness caused by having nothing if we try giving up some of our tools or comforts for even a short period of time such as a couple of days.  What tool do you rely on to save you time . . . a car . . . a stove or microwave . . . running water . . . a furnace?  How would it affect your life if you didn't have that tool?  Would it affect your ability to work or how long it takes to do your work?  How would it affect your lifestyle at home or your extracurricular activities?  Would it change your focus . . . now having to spend time fetching water, walking to get food, or simply trying to stay warm?  Something to think about.


Hey!! I'm That Poverty Guy . . . let's make a world of difference together.

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