Footsteps by faces
NS December 15th, 2007
Every day, we pass them — the cold, dirty, huddled masses on street corners the world over; the tattered cardboard signs; the vacant and desperate stares. On our way to work; the mall to buy more crap we don’t need, don’t have the room/time/money for; on our way to love and warmth and happiness; on our way to safety and silence; on our way home.
Our footsteps fall by their faces as we march past them, our fallen comrades. On a battlefield this would be unforgivable. In our communities, even in times of ‘peace,’ it is methodical. We don’t send for stretchers. We don’t throw ourselves over them and refuse to leave until they are plucked up and rescued from misery and near-certain death. There are no shared cigarettes in the trenches as we huddle together awaiting the rescue chopper and show pictures of our loves back home. We don’t bandage each other’s wounds and give words of comfort. We just click our heels three times and quicken our pace and give that small, thin-lipped, terse smile that says “I can’t help you. I’m sorry.”
Homelessness. To use an old cliche here in England — it’s not just for Christmas, it’s for life. But Christmas is as good a time as any to do something small, to show that people do care, even if we can’t change things for them. To slow down those footsteps and look into the faces there. To share a tiny bit of the embodiment of what this time of year is supposed to be about. I am not a religious person, moved by the spirit of a God who died for our sins. But I do believe in the spirit of humanity, and in the goodness of those who inhabit it. So much these days is doom and gloom and all I hear about is the world going to the dogs, turning to shit, draining down the tubes. And it very well might be. But while I’m on this earth and raising a child who will continue to live here after I’m gone, I can still believe. I don’t believe in Santa or Jesus, but I have faith in us.
Noble Savage’s Gift The Homeless 2007 has begun. Over the next few days I am going to amass as many chocolate bars, gloves, winter hats, scarves and toiletries as I can, inexpensively, and get to wrapping. I’ll be going into Central London a few times over the coming week and a half and hope to hand them out to those in need. I am not sharing this to make anyone feel uncomfortable or guilty or anything like that. I’m not asking for money or donations. I don’t know why I’m telling you, really. I guess I was afraid that if I didn’t write it down, I would allow myself to get too “busy” later to do anything about it. This blog is like my confessional and knowing that there are some people out there reading, maybe giving me silent encouragement and thinking positive thoughts…it helps me see things through.
Happy holidays everybody. Peace and hope to all.
