Moving On To Somewhere

Wednesday as I left the Cultural Center here in Florida, I passed a Toyota truck with a camper shell. Normally, my attention would have been on the schedule I held in my hand. However, as I approached the driver's side of the truck, I noticed that the entire front seat was packed with personal items up to the dashboard, level with the window ledge. Only a small space was available for the driver to squeeze behind the wheel. I paused for a moment and realized the entire camper shell was loaded to the roof.

Being a writer, my mind began to question a 'why' situation. Was this man homeless because of the economy? Was he on a road trip, coming or going to another place to live? Or was he stopping to grab a warm meal from the cafe before spending another night in his truck? How many people right now are living out of their vehicles with families?

I stood there for only a moment, for I didn't want to be conspicuous, and said a small prayer for this individual. Living out of a car or truck has a great many disadvantages. One I would not want to experience. But the homeless situation in our nation is growing out of proportion.

Here is Florida we have senior high students who live in the woods, sleep on the ground, and scavenge for food in order to graduate this year from school. They group together for protection, walk the food line, and seek shelter in order to clean up. They are referred to as 'street kids' , young people without homes.

We also have single parents living in the woods with their small children. Parents who have lost their jobs, been foreclosed on, and have no one else to turn to for help or support. They survive day by day, hoping for a better life, seeking jobs that aren’t available.

These people are not asking for handouts or shirking their duty as citizens of our great nation, they only want a job, a safe place to raise their family, and to be able to hold their head up high with pride.

My thoughts drifted back to the man in the truck. At least he had a place to sleep, even if it was behind the wheel. He had transportation to get from one spot to another and he had his personal things about him. How lucky we are to have our homes, our spouses, and our families.