i have a home

hey all,

it occurred to me in a revolutionary way this morning on the way to work that...i have a home. a few weeks ago, i had no idea where i would be living once i arrived in Calgary. and then, strangers (who i have yet to meet) opened up their home to me, and gave me their bed to sleep in! at the end of my work day, i can come home, eat food, feel secure, and know that i will be sleeping in a warm bed tonite. if i want to, i can even adjust the temperate if my blanket isn't warm enough. but for approx 3400 other people in the city of Calgary, they can't say the same thing...

you know that you've hit downtown Calgary by simply looking out a window in the C-Train. at Riverfront, i look out and i see a humble tent set up in a local park. i'm convinced that if the police haven't already spotted it, they will shortly. i see a Salvation Army emergency vehicle on site resembling almost an outdated ambulance. just a few steps away, there is a group of individuals standing around, drinking something, and it's only 8:40am. further down in front of my office, i look on the sidewalk and am taken away by a body lying in the gravel covered by a handmade quilt. and then, i start my day at work...except i think my heart started "working" long before i turned on my computer and started typing...

if i am able to get housing...why can't these other people? what is wrong with this picture? and why do i keep walking by people who are just like me that for some reason, ended up with the short end, the really short end, of the stick. i have no idea...im still trying to figure it out. in the mean time, i can only be thankful to those who have blessed me with a place i can call home, and seek to do what i can to make that a reality for others right outside my doorstep. i may not know exactly why homelessness exists, but as long as it does, i will do everything i can to ensure that my fellow brother and sister is being fed, given water, clothed, and if they choose to accept it, loved.

Calgary hit the 1 million mark of its population sometime last year. having had a handful of conversations with a few Calgarians, the increase in people has been felt thru out the city. the transit system, for example, simply does not have the infrastructure to support such a growth spurt of people. ah, the big city...more people...more workers...better for the economy...but no affordable housing. seems pretty simple to me, but why not use some of that money that is apparently making a better economy toward building some low-income housing so that not only is the economy better, but people's lives are sustained. just a thought...

ok, im done being emo....i promise a more chirpy post next time.

much love,
dL