Changing the face of homelessness

  It is September 2024. I have been living in this same apartment for almost three years. During those three years, I kept myself employed for two and a half of them. I was becoming very successful at the hospital where I worked. I developed a great rapport with almost all the patients and made some really good friends with some outstanding coworkers. A lot of the other staff would treat me as if I was more than just a psych tech, for sure. I would go to work every morning with a positive attitude and great energy that I loved to share with others. Constantly, I was trying to make others feel super worthy and appreciated for working alongside me. Administration at the hospital noted the potential that I exhibited and offered me new opportunities. So, when I started working at the hospital, I was actually homeless, sleeping in our local cold weather shelter. I was the only person staying at the shelter at that time. I had proven myself so trustworthy that I was even given my own key...

I experienced my first eviction when I was 8 years old. I was in the third grade at Hyde Elementary. I was excited when the bus dropped me off because I had a new kitten that I named Sunshine. When I went inside the house that Friday afternoon, I discovered that my mom had left on a weekend vacation to Southern Missouri. There was a guy there whose name was Buddy. He was to be our babysitter. I did my normal thing and started playing with Sunshine. At some point after dinner, I noticed that Sunshine was lying on the ground, not being himself at all. The babysitter said that I should call my grandpa. He did not think that Sunshine looked well either. I called Grandpa. Grandpa was there in less than 10 minutes to pick up Sunshine and myself. We went down to Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was determined Sunshine didn't have a fighting chance. Grandpa and I went outside with Sunshine. I did not watch as Grandpa stepped on Sunshine's head to end his suffering. I did, however, h...

I walked around with an emptiness in my soul that I was sure I would never regain. The horrific and painful deep scars I battle that were delivered to me as a child. The lifelong seach for a happiness that has always been able to elude  me. The intrusive memories that kept knocking me down and the desire to somehow find a place I can call home. This is what fuels me today. I know so many of my homeless family experience these or simular feelings.   I can relate to each of their stories. I understand what it is like to be a victom and not a survivor. Our core values are shrouded by these feelings and memories. Our worth is hidden by masks that we invent. We hide in the shadows. We try to become invisible not just from society but ourselves. This isn't something we chose as many people believe. A  high percent of homeless suffer from  childhood traumas and abuse. If we all had  the opportunity to see doctors and psychiatrist at that young age....