A Different Lens

As an intern, Transitions has given me a glimpse into the lives of people I probably never would have spoken to, let alone get to know on a personal level.  I have been given a new lens to view the world.  I have been allowed to share my days with women I would have quickly walked away from, women  who  would have made me uncomfortable had they tried to engage me on the street.

We all know the feeling—we walk quickly, look away, seem occupied with something else; anything to get past them without  confrontation, asking us for something.  We feel powerless, we don’t feel comfortable giving money, but don’t want the guilt of ignoring their need.  They make us uncomfortable, maybe even scared.  We don’t understand their lives. 
 The hell of homelessness includes fear and humiliation, appointments, intakes, forms, and interrogation into your personal life. It is difficult, and not something intentionally chosen, but a series of incidents that cascade out of control; a lost job, unexpected illness, abuse, and/or addiction.  

What I have learned at Transitions is while they looked different on the outside they were the same on the inside. They are someone’s child, mother or father. They are human beings deserving of love and respect with the same needs for food, shelter and clothing as us all.

What you see depends on the lens you look through. My lens changed by my experiences at Transitions. We are all needy—just in different ways.