that's how wikipedia describes hope. hope is probably one of the most overlooked tools in fighting homelessness. i think it's one of the most important. i also think that if you don't have it, it can be one of the most painful. many homeless people have been abandoned at some point. it doesn't matter whose fault it was or why it took place, more than likely people in their lives have abandoned them. it could have been due to an addiction to drugs, it could have been alcoholism, it could have been the inability to deal with a mental issue, it could have been out of frustration. it could have been out of the simple fact that they didn't want to deal with the problems that come with causes of homelessness. being abandoned by people you love and care about is hard to deal with. it's especially hard to deal with when you're at one of the lowest, if not the lowest, point in your life. you might try to understand it, but you never can. you can't understand how people you love could turn their back on you. it leaves you with a certain feeling of despair and a certain feeling of.....well....hopelessness. try to remember the homeless don't view the world as you do at the moment. they're still dealing with the issues and the problems they're facing, so they may not recognize the facts that led up to that abandonment. they still view the world and the people in it as it always was. they can't yet understand how they could be left alone and discarded.
if you know someone, whether it be a relative, a friend, or a spouse who is experiencing homelessness, don't abandon them. i'm not advocating that you suddenly change your mind and welcome that person back with open arms. i'm simply asking that you don't abandon them. they are still the same person you loved. they are still your brother, your sister, your husband, your wife or your friend. buried underneath the problems and aggravations that caused them to become homeless is that person. try to stay in contact with them if you can. let them know you still care and are waiting for them. let them know you are watching. let them know you think about them. being alone and feeling as if noone cares can be as debilitating as the problems they are experiencing during their homelessness. be the light that helps guide them out of their problems and away from homelessness. if you can, try to help them with their very basic needs or some simple wants they might have. let them know you will help them along the way if you can. it can make a difference between them giving that extra effort or just giving up. it can make a difference in their lives if they know someone does care about them and that they have a chance to regain some of what they've lost. they need to know you haven't given up on them, so they don't give up on themselves.
hope is free...but it's a very valuable commodity. no amount of money or program can match its value to a human being.
see you around town