I used to judge homeless people, and assume that they weren't very intelligent. I no longer see things so black and white; everyone has a story.

Mar 23, 2004 -- In a country filled with poverty, we sometimes witness the effect that it has on our local communities. The divide between the well off and the poor is painful to see. It's both startling and confusing. Even in the wonderful Pioneer Valley, there are those who have it easy and others who are struggling to make ends meet. I used to make assumptions about people by where they lived and how they dressed. I used to judge homeless people, and assume that they weren't very intelligent. I no longer see things so black and white; everyone has a story.

This summer, while attending a Jewish program, I had the opportunity to hear a man's story, which changed my way of seeing homelessness. A middle-aged man in nice slacks, a button down shirt, and a tie stood at the front of a lecture room. He was invited to tell us about his work--running a local soup kitchen in a suburb of Boston. He began by introducing himself, and talking a bit about the soup kitchen, its history, and who it serves. He went on, "Before I ran this soup kitchen, I was a businessman. But, in between, I was homeless." I heard a faint gasp fall over the teenagers in the audience. Had this man really been homeless? He didn't look homeless. He was dressed nicely, and spoke very eloquently.

Ten years ago, this man was a successful businessman, with a wife, children, and a seemingly happy life. He went about his days, each one the same, and slowly went into a deep depression. It got so bad that he stopped functioning and despite tried intervention, he could not "snap out" of the funk. After several months, he ended up sleeping on the streets and scrounging for food where he could find it. He became unrecognizable, and lived life as a beggar. After a couple of hard years, he was picked up by the organization he works for today.

After hearing this man's story, I was shocked and inspired. It made me realize something that I thought I already knew--homeless people are normal people. People become homeless for all sorts of reasons, and they shouldn't be judged for it. We must be kind to homeless people, because for all we know, we could be in that situation some day.