struggle: it's relative
I HAD INTENTIONS OF ONLY WRITING ABOUT THE JAPANESE RESTAURANT AND GRILL, BUTAI, AND THEIR HAPPY HOUR I ATTENDED YESTERDAY WITH ITS $5 MARTINIS AND $3-$6 SELECT FOOD MENU, BUT IT WAS THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED AFTERWARDS THAT LEFT ME THINKING FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT ABOUT MY OWN PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE.
WHEN I CHOSE THE NAME STARVING CELEBRITY IT WAS MERELY BECAUSE I WANTED TO EXPRESS THE STRUGGLES OF A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL TRYING TO MAKE IT IN THE "INDUSTRY". YES THERE ARE DAYS WHEN MY DINNER MIGHT CONSIST OF RAMEN NOODLES OR SOMETHING CHEAP OFF THE DOLLAR MENU, BUT NEVER HAVE I EVER GONE DAYS WITHOUT A MEAL, WONDERING WHERE I WAS GOING TO LAY MY HEAD, OR EVER HAVE THE FEELING THAT THERE ISN'T ONE PERSON IN THIS WORLD I CAN GO TO FOR A HELPING HAND. UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THAT STRUGGLE EVERYDAY.
AFTER LEAVING THE RESTAURANT, ME AND A SMALL GROUP OF FRIENDS BUMPED INTO THIS LADY PUSHING A STROLLER WITH THE MOST BRIGHT EYED, CHARISMATIC, SMILING LITTLE GIRL IN A YELLOW DRESS. WE STOPPED TO EXCHANGE A FEW GAMES OF PEEK-A-BOO WITH THE CHILD, AND BEGAN TO TALK TO THE LITTLE GIRL'S MOTHER WHO HAS BEEN LIVING ON THE STREETS FOR SOME TIME NOW WITH HER 17 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER. CLEAN OFF CRACK FOR 10 YEARS NOW, SHE CONTINUES TO AVOID HER DAUGHTER'S FATHER WHO SADLY IS STILL WRAPPED UP IN THE WORLD OF DRUGS, AND IS IN A CONSTANT STRUGGLE TO KEEP HER DAUGHTER FED AND OUT OF HARMS WAY.
PAN HANDLING HAS BECOME HER ONLY OPTION IN HER EYES. WHEN ASKED WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP HER SITUATION AND OTHERS LIKE HER, HER RESPONSE WAS GET RID OF THE UNSAFE AND UNHEALTHY SHELTERS, AND WORK ON RE-BUILDING THESE PEOPLE'S SELF ESTEEM. "THESE PEOPLE ARE ALL OUT HERE FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM, [PEOPLE] DON'T THINK!" SHE THEN TOLD US ABOUT THE COLDNESS OF SOME WHO PASS BY CALLING HER NAMES, THROWING TRASH ON HER AS SHE SLEEPS, AND ACCUSING HER OF PARADING HER DAUGHTER FOR MONEY. "THEY FORGET WE'RE PEOPLE TOO, AND THE TABLES COULD TURN ONE DAY." SHE CONTINUES TO TALK ABOUT THE STRUGGLE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SECURE A JOB, AND ESCORTED OUT OF ESTABLISHMENTS BASED ON THE WAY SHE LOOKS, AND MAKES IT CLEAR THAT IT'S A VICIOUS CYCLE OF GETTING HIT WITH HARD TIMES THAT MAKE TIMES EVEN HARDER.
IT TAKES NOTHING BUT A FEW ENCOURAGING WORDS, AND A LITTLE GIVEN TIME AND EFFORT TO GIVE A GLIMPSE OF HOPE BACK TO SOMEONE WHO MAY NEED IT. I'VE NEVER BEEN ONE TO GIVE MONEY TO THE HOMELESS (FOOD YES), BECAUSE TO ME THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT TO PUTTING A BAND AID ON A BULLET WOUND. IT'S MORE HARMFUL THAN HELPFUL SIMPLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT CONDITIONS PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS BEG, WALLOW IN SELF PITY, AND FEEL ENTITLED TO THE CHANGE OUT OF YOUR POCKET. IT DOESN'T HELP THE GREATER PICTURE, AND NOR DOES IT HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF BEING SUCCESSFUL. IN THE PAST I'VE ATTENDED COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS TO RAISE MONEY FOR PROGRAMS TO HELP THE HOMELESS, BUT CLEARLY THERE ARE SERIOUS ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE. I'VE FOUND THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS THAT APPEARS TO DO MORE THAN AN ANNUAL SOUP KITCHEN. THEY REALLY RESEARCH THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM AND FIND REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THE WEBSITE, DO PERSONAL RESEARCH, AND REALLY THINK ABOUT GIVING A HELPING HAND.
HTTP://WWW.ENDHOMELESSNESS.ORG
There
I think this goes back to when people say that there is always someone that is worse off than you. I constantly sit here and wish that I had more money and I didn't constantly have to live off of a budget. I complain about how expensive New York is and how better off I would be somewhere else. I remember one night when i thought my life was just stupid and got really depressed. As I read this post and watch other people with similar situations, i realize how blessed I really am. So often we forget to count our blessings and rather complain about nothing. Its sad that watching someone else struggle is the only thing that brings us back to reality.