THE BIGGER PICTURE SPRINGS TO MIND
Show compassion to homeless people you encounter by handing out some money
It feels like winter just doesn’t want to end. With the recent snow came lots of grumbling from people who are ready to see some sunshine and put away their shovels. I get it. Long winters are depressing. And the fact that we recently switched to daylightsaving time might not be helping. Sure, it is lighter when we get home, which should make us feel more energetic and upbeat. However, I recently read that losing or gaining an hour does affect our health, but not necessarily in a good way. It can jolt the body’s internal clock and cause an increased risk of sleep disorders, heart attacks, strokes, cluster headaches and miscarriages. A study found that the number of heart attacks occurring the day after a spring DST increased by a whopping 25 per cent. But let’s put things in perspective. Think of people who don’t have a car or a walkway to shovel and who don’t go home to a warm house and a fridge stocked with food. Recently, I have seen more homeless people on my way to work, seeking shelter in the tunnel which links the Vendôme métro and the hospital, and it makes me think about how the cold is affecting them. It is estimated that there are over 3,000 people living on the streets on the Island of Montreal. But I don’t often see them in Notre-Damede-Grâce or Westmount and very rarely in the West Island. They are usually not very visible. I used to be a bit suspicious and wary of the homeless. Are they really unable to find a job? For those who have a dog, how can they afford to feed it? If I give them money, will they put it to good use? As a doctor friend once kindly pointed out to me, many of them have suffered poverty and abuse as children. They did not have a stable or loving family. Their dog may be the only real friend they have ever had. Many of them have mental issues or, at the very least, emotional ones, which make getting a job difficult. This friend always keeps coins on hand so he can give them to the homeless he encounters. Last week, students from Concordia University, my alma mater, participated in “5 Days for the Homeless,” with proceeds going to Dans La Rue and Chez Doris. For five days, they lived on the street with little more than a sleeping bag and relied on the kindness of strangers, getting a tiny taste of what life on the streets is like. I applaud them. We need to stop walking by the homeless as if they are invisible. So celebrate the arrival of spring knowing that it will be warmer for those without shelter. And keep a few coins in your pocket for the next time you walk by someone who has got way bigger problems than you. You might be surprised to find how good it feels to give a small helping hand instead of just walking by.