A Dichotomy of Two Realities: Possibility and Homelessness Among Our Children

Do you remember the distinctive sensations of the school bus? I bet that question brought you back to a place and time when all possibilities were on the tips of our fingers; when the world was yours to have!

Yesterday, as I settled in my rigid green seat, all of the familiarity of my school days filled my senses. The pungent aromas of plastic and diesel filled my olfactory system, the steady bouncing of the seats over every tiny morsel in the road was felt throughout my body, the constant chatter of the kids surrounding me—all sent me back to a childhood far away in the recess of my mind. I sat back and enjoyed the moment as we ventured towards the museum of art.

After a few minutes passed I looked out the window to scope the landscape—in all honesty, I was searching for a deer. Somehow, I knew that a deer sighting would send a thrill of excitement through each of the children on board— leaving my daughter feeling exceptional that her mom was the one to find it, BUT that was not what I found.

My heart sank as my eyes found a bright patch of red blanket nestled between three trees not far from the freeway, but exclusive enough that you’d have to be really looking to see him. He lay there with all of his worldly possessions gathered around him; not much for a lifetime that left him gray and tired. He slept without notice from any of the people rushing to their early morning destination. That is no one but me.

I felt profound sadness envelop me. I suppose it was the dichotomy of the two realties I was witnessing; the loss of hope in this man’s weathered life beneath the red tattered blanket versus the world of possibilities at the beckoning of a new generation. How, I wondered, do you go from the bus of all possibilities to the blanket of nothing?

The shrill laughter of innocence snapped my attention from the scene beyond my window—a father in the back of the bus got a trucker to honk the horn of his big red rig. I felt relief as the children got overly excited as the bus driver announced for them to settle down. I felt myself sigh as they experienced excitement … I was relived they didn’t look at my view. I found myself handing over the glory to that son’s father to protect the moment of endless possibilities in the class of 2018.

Today we are experiencing record numbers of families and individuals being displaced from their homes. As I sat in my dichotomy on the bus, I felt gratitude that each of these children in my presence were in school and not on the streets. I felt gratitude that I had a home to offer my own children, warm food on the table, and clean clothing in their closets.

I knew from my professional mental health days that these trees were near the residential facility that housed adults with severe developmental disabilities and the state psychiatric prison. I was certain he was not from either of these facilities, but that it was obvious that he strategically lay there. A survival skill I am sure he mastered over time.

But you should know that a study performed by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty stated that approximately 3.5 million people and 1.35 million children, are likely to experience the humiliation and tragedy of homelessness in a given year.

That needs repeating—1.35 million children are likely to experience homelessness in a given year. How tragic!

Although, this study was done in 2007, I wonder if that number has gone up with the foreclosure and economic crisis within our country. In a time where we, as a country, can suddenly request 1.5 BILLION dollars from a budget to fight a flu ‘epidemic’, how come we cannot afford to keep children from being displaced out of their homes? How can this man be sleeping under a tree on a misty morning unnoticed by so many?

In a recession many things are possible. One thing I have learned from my former career is that the homeless person usually doesn’t signify an uneducated man or woman wandering the streets threatening society. Instead it is usually someone highly educated that has lost a job, experienced mental illness or succumbed to alcoholism. They really are no threat other than ‘a sore eye’ for the viewer.

But what if we become more than the viewer? In a recession, that could happen in an instant; you, me, or worse yet, our children sleeping homeless under that tree.

As a nation of hardworking men and women we should be outraged that bank executives are getting a reported $70 billion in bonuses while innocent families are losing their homes displacing children across the United States.

This isn’t just a problem of a time that will come to pass—the effects of home displacement or homelessness will cause a backlash within these children’s psyche causing more issues down the road.

Many families, like my own, have been forced to one income in the advent of a child with a disability. We pray daily that the remaining income isn’t dissolved through downsizing because of the financial crisis. We try to focus on optimism and cut back to stay afloat. We have limited resources to help our children recover from this numbing diagnosis, so it is hard to imagine that we can contribute to this other crisis occurring within our midst.

However, there are resources available to these individuals and families on a local and national level. Find out what you can do within your means to help bring aid to those in need. A small act of kindness to nurture the essence of possibility within our children and grandchildren is immeasurable.


The Columbus Coalition for Homelessness has a list of Ohio and local resources.

Housing Vouchers Are Critical for Ending Family Homelessness.

Promising Strategies to End Family Homelessness.

National Calition for the Homeless.