It’s the big silver ball at Grant Park in Chicago. We stopped to rest my feet and listen to some music. I took a shot of the silver ball that gives a distorted view of the Chicago skyline. Pretty cool!
I took a lot of pretty pictures of the city. Gorgeous views of the skyline. Cool photos of old architecture versus modern.
What I didn’t snap a photo of? The poor. I didn’t dare! Their dignity is stripped enough. I saw other people photographing them. Oh, they thought they were so sly. Nah, I saw them snap a photo. They didn’t dare give them a dime, a cup of Joe or go near them but for some reason they took their picture, hm???
The city. Such a contrast. You see the very,very rich among the very,very poor. Million dollar condominiums with homeless sitting at the bottom begging for a penny. My heart broke.
My son would say, “Mom, I know you want to give them something but you can’t. I would go broke if I gave everyday. Plus, you just can’t. They need to go get help.”
My answer, “Where?”
My answer to all of us, “Where?”
How do we do it? How do we walk by a mother sitting with two children asking for help? Or an older woman begging for some assistance or a man who says on a cardboard sign, “I am all alone, please help”?
I know, I am suppose to be jaded! I should wonder if it is a scheme? Or will they spend it on alcohol? But, seriously, these people are sleeping on benches. They stink to high heaven and we leave them there? In AMERICA? Seriously, I walk by with loose change in my wallet knowing I can spare it. This seems wrong!
My heart broke. I felt wrong.
A blogger told me once to give them underwear and socks. I had none. I only had some extra money and an aching heart but my son and husband said, “NO, don’t you dare.”
It felt wrong to put blinders on and walk around, over and right past a human soul that has no one!
Oh,The City.
What do you see when you visit The City?
{ 5 comments }
I remember when I wanted so badly to have another pair of underwear instead having to go without until the one would dry, or wondering if we were going to eat today, etc, or wondering is this today when I”ll have to get my things and sleep at a bus stop?
It’s terrible. It’s heartbreaking and it’s our job..duty..love, to help.
Just having, means we should be giving, and so we’ll get again and again.
Next time, just follow your heart.
I only once took a photo of the poor. I was in Hawaii. It was such a contrast to all that beauty around with this man fending in a dumpster…we were driving by.
It’s still impacting and heartbreaking to me and I think, I should have stopped, not taken a picture.
Sigh.
where I live there aren’t alot of homeless people around or at least not that I see but on the occasion that I do see someone I will buy them a burger from McDonald’s or if someone in front of me is short a few dollars I’ll help even knowing I may be hurting myself as money is very tight at our house I just feel grateful for having a home. I guess i’m jaded in the fact I don’t like to just give money.
I wouldn’t think to take their photo unless I was a professional photographer with a very clear goal and vision in mind for something other than exploitation.
That is really weird for ppl to take pix of the homeless…I find it really disrepectful to take photos of people unless you ask first. Anyways, I ignore them unless it’s mom/dad and kids. Then it breaks my heart and we feel compelled to give them $$. What they do with it, I can’t ensure.
I know of another blogger who works with the homeless community in another city. She was pretty steadfast in telling me we should never help people begging for money. There are resources for them – to help them get food and shelter today, but to also help them get medical attention and longer term housing for tomorrow. If we give them money, they are less inclined to seek out those services that are there to help them. Plus, as you suggested, we don’t know what they’re doing with the money we give them.
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