What Can We Do?
She stands there on the corner in her London Fog jacket. A jacket that would be stylish on some but not on her. It’s wrinkled, dirty and looks like she may have soiled herself. She waits to cross the street which tells me she has enough self awareness to know to stop on the red light. It’s early and perhaps she is not had time to get what she wants more than anything else. She has a name but I don’t know it. I’m an observer and to be honest, she frightens me a bit.She is twitching, twitching, twitching…. The telltale signs are all there. Her shoulders raise and drop, raise and drop, raise and drop. Her elbow spasmodically reaches out to the left as if trying to push someone away again and again. Her hair, her hair looks like a rats nest. She probably just woke and exited the park to start her day.
I wonder what it’s like to be her, to walk in her shoes. Does life feel hopeless? Is survival the primary driving force? Does anyone love her or worry for her safety, her well being? Is she hungry?It hits home. I suspect that the Secret Keeper is using again, judging by the random and odd texts I am getting. He had to sell his beloved truck and came into a little money. Never a good thing for someone who is trying to stay sober but surrounds himself with opportunistic, similarly afflicted people. I see that it could easily be him on the corner and I ache for him, for her and for my kids.
I wish her well, I wish him well. I wish words and good hearted intentions could make a difference but I know it has to start with them. I can’t fix it.
I too have watched such souls and wondered the same. It is hard to know how to help but it must start with them.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of homelessness and drug addiction here on the far north coast of California. I always want to reach out and do something, but not sure what. I've read that offering food is better than offering money.
ReplyDeleteI always hope that they can find the help they need and are strong enough to search for that help.
ReplyDeleteWe do wonder. Everyone has their story and the big question is why -- and how. I'm sorry about your suspicions on the Secret Keeper. So sad.
ReplyDeleteNo, we cannot fix it for them... we can love unconditionally and limit exposure to a lifestyle that becomes unhealthy even for the Loved Ones not addicted. Many Families face this scourge, we are losing entire generations to it. Having retired from our local D.A.'s Office, which is one of the largest in the Nation, I have seen the volume of carnage to the drug epidemic and the escalation of crime surrounding it's distribution and use... to alcoholism related crimes and the carnage it creates as well. I also have suffered the disastrous effects of Loved Ones struggling with addiction, which becomes a Lifelong battle for them and a Heartache always for Family wondering if sobriety will last? Alas, Big Pharma and Western Medicine have contributed to the epidemic just as surely as any illegal Drug pushers... the Opiod Epidemic testimony of how people who might never have touched illegal Drugs can become victims of addictive Prescription Medications prescribed by Professionals they Trust. I pray we find viable solutions.
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