Howard, Life Outtakes: Life’s Experiences

As I start my classes each semester, I like the students to introduce themselves. I always have them tell where they are from, their major, and something interesting about them. Most students say simple things. For example, I had one girl who said she likes to collect unusual socks, especially Christmas ones. Others tell of a unique talent or some sport they like to play. But sometimes a student shares an experience that is quite memorable.

One day, a young man, John, told us his interesting thing. He said that he had been to South America and had seen so many homeless people. It really touched his heart.

“I decided I wanted to find out what it was like to live on the street like a homeless person,” John said. “I told my family what I was going to do. They tried to talk me out of it, but I felt I needed to experience what those people live through.”

He said his family insisted he have a cell phone so they could contact him. He didn’t think people living on the streets had cell phones, but he finally agreed to ease their concerns.

John said that he called his family daily for the first little while, but keeping his phone charged was hard. “When you don’t have a place to call your own, there aren’t a lot of electrical outlets to use. Finding one in a public place wasn’t too hard, but it took a while to find one where I wasn’t asked to leave. But after less than a month of checking in every day, my cell phone was stolen.

“I debated whether or not I should give up the whole thing, but I felt there was still so much to learn. After that, I found a way to check with my family once a week on a public phone. They always seemed relieved to know I was safe. It also helped me understand what others might feel when someone they loved disappeared without a trace.

“I lived on the street for two-and-a-half months during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in college. During that summer, I learned more than I did in any class I ever took. I learned what it was like to be hungry more often than I was full. I learned how hard it was to find a comfortable, safe place to sleep.

And I learned how frightening it is to get mugged.”

“But if you didn’t have anything, why would someone mug you?” a girl asked.

“I had found some restaurant food in a garbage one night,” John said. “The other person was hungry and had nothing. A normal person who usually would be kind and harmless can become quite desperate when they are hungry. That was another thing I learned.”

By this time, John had the rapt attention of everyone in the room. “What was the most important thing you learned?” another girl asked.

“I would have to say it would be that there are worthy poor and there are unworthy poor.”

“What do you mean by that?” a boy asked.

“Well, most of the poor on the streets are there because of the cards they have been dealt in life or decisions they have made that have trapped them there. Most of them stay there because they can’t find their way out. But most of the ones you see begging on street corners are not part of the worthy poor. Many of them make more money begging than they would working a normal job, while the worthy poor aren’t begging, but are scrounging for food or whatever they can get.”

John paused a moment as if thinking deeply. When he did speak, he spoke softly.

“One other thing I learned was that even though it changed my heart, and I wouldn’t give up the experience for anything, I would never do it again.”