When I started to write for Street Talk all I knew was that I wanted to be a better writer. I also knew I wanted a place where I could put my thoughts into print. As I got started and learned more about the people I met and their experiences with homelessness and poverty I realized I had more in common with these people than I thought. I know very well what it’s like to be underestimated, to be pitied, to be stereotyped and to be blamed indirectly for situations beyond my own control. Every day a homeless person stands outside a soup kitchen or a shelter they are judged by many in a community who can’t possibly know their story, their experiences or their hardships. Maybe if they did they’d be less quick to pronounce that the homeless are lazy or that they somehow deserve their own fate.
Fortunately, before I learned how judgmental the world can be, I also happened to learn how to have hope. When I was very young there were a number of doctors, social workers and other experts who advised my family as to what they felt my life potential would be as a person born with Spina Bifida. Many said that I wouldn’t be able to walk, others said that my family shouldn’t expect me to live independently to attend regular school or to hold a job. I was barely in pre-school and my family was already receiving expert speculation as to what my potential might be and the prognosis wasn’t good. Thankfully nobody chose to listen and they moved forward with hope, believing that they had to at least try to see what I could accomplish despite the negative outlook. My life went on. I learned to walk, I went to school, I got a job and an education and I moved away from home not even fully realizing that failure was even possible.
For me that’s why hope is so important. Success isn’t about how successful you appear to be to other people and it isn’t about being right or holding power over others. At the minimum, success comes from deciding to have hope for something positive in life and at the most it is taking that decision and steadily working toward making it become a reality. Hope is about stubbornly showing up and trying to do the thing you most desire even if you have no idea how it could possibly work out. It’s about trying again and believing that your effort will produce something good.
I think too much time in this world is spent watching what others do and not enough time is spent actually doing things ourselves. Many people would rather point out what’s wrong with a situation instead of making any kind of effort to improve it. I think many people fail to see the power that comes through approaching new situations and new people with a hopeful attitude. Being hopeful isn’t just about being positive or saying nice things. It’s also about recognizing the strengths in a person or a situation instead of focusing exclusively on what is missing. Instead of seeing the homeless or people with disabilities for what they apparently lack maybe we should instead see them for the powerful forces they can be. I think we all have that kind of potential. It’s just a matter of finding the strengths we possess and in putting together the hope to go out and actively try to build things until the needed self-confidence and self-worth follows.
Unfortunately, the end of the road has come for Calgary Street Talk but the work being done in our community to house the homeless, to bring hope to those in need and to end homelessness continues. Since I began writing for this newspaper tremendous progress has been made in helping the homeless. It’s been fantastic to see and I hope the movement continues to evolve and grow to bring more people off the streets and into stable homes. If I’ve been able to do anything through my years of being a Street Talk columnist I would like to believe that maybe I brought a little bit of a hope and unique perspective to this paper. I’ve had a great time and have received much more of a personal benefit from contributing than I ever would have thought possible.
Lastly, I want to thank the vendors for circulating Calgary Street Talk over the years. Their contribution in helping get the world on the street was inspiring and as I spoke with many of them I know I learned a great deal about the complexities of homelessness. I hope all of you keep hope for better days ahead and that you will continue to stubbornly pursue the things in life you desire most.
