Tick Tock Sheptock

My mother's sermon on her 75th birthday Many homeless people have lost contact with their families for various reasons and I'm no exception to the rule. In some cases, it's in direct connection with them having become homeless. I would dare say that, more often than not, it is the homeless person's sense of shame and not the family's rejection of them which is to blame for the loss of contact. In other cases, a person becomes a substance user and gives little or no thought to the concept of family. Still others develop mental illness that diminishes their ability to relate to or interact well with others and which may even cause them to develop unacceptable, problematic behaviors that their families are not capable of dealing with. Then again, even homeless people can have falling outs, vendettas or long-standing disagreements with family members just like housed people often do, as was the case with me. Nonetheless, my story ends well. As a matter of fact, thin...

It may seem that I've been on a month-long hiatus from blogging. The truth of the matter is that I've been busy doing my usual homeless advocacy. We are nearing the end of a tumultuous budget season and are not certain that homeless services will be fully funded in FY 2013. (That's not to speak of the fact that the DC mayor and several council members are under investigation, have resigned or may resign within the next couple of months -- leaving many decisions in political limbo). So, I've attended and organized many meetings and rallies to ensure that DC's homeless won't be left in the lurch. Add to this the fact that I have gained a significant other and am trying hard to visit my mother on her 75th birthday in August. I don't usually say much about myself when blogging, writing articles or speaking to various high school and college groups about homelessness. However, my present situation has made it such that I must. I don't get paid ...