I had a very interesting interaction last night.

I had gone out to a local bar and had met a cute guy who followed me across the street to get some food. We were hanging out, getting to know one another, really clicking, when I noticed a man sitting on a bench on the sidewalk.

I have some history with homelessness. I've never been homeless myself, but I have close family members who were and growing up we talked about it a lot. It was very important to my family members who had experienced homelessness that their children had at least some understanding and had compassion for people in that situation. As a teenager, I also had some friends who became homeless for various reasons. At least one of those friends became what I call a traveling kid--one of a group of young people who hitch hike and hop trains around the country, sleeping under bridges and in parks, constantly on the move.

Anyway, I noticed this man out the window on the bench. He was clearly homeless and clearly having a bad night, but my instincts told me he wasn't dangerous, just distressed. So I went out and gave him my second slice of pizza and listened to what he had to say.

It turned out he was a veteran who was having flash backs to the Gulf War and just really needed someone to listen to his story, so I stayed and listened. He told me how he had been a cook on a navy ship and had gone on land one night just to hang out when he got caught up in an unexpected skirmish. It was a brutal story, and we both cried at parts.

Occasionally people stopped to check on me, which was interesting because I clearly was not the person in distress. One group of individuals stood directly behind the man and gave me questioning looks and an uncertain thumbs up, checking to see if I needed to be rescued. As subtly as I could, so as not to interrupt the story, I flashed them a smile and shook my head. Before driving his friends home, the guy I had been talking to earlier came out and listened to the story as well. Once he got the gist of it he wrapped his arms around the vet and thanked him for his service.

When the story was done and it was time for me to go, I made sure my new friend was planning to go to the shelter for the night (it was going to be cold so it was important that he found someplace indoors). As I was about to leave he mumbled something about turning 55 and I said happy birthday. He shook his head and explained that his birthday was in October, and then he grabbed my hand and kissed it and said that once it was actually October he would remember that I had wished him happy birthday.

The whole thing was extremely intense.
Thoughts? Reactions? How does homelessness affect you and your community?

Another problem with the 'get a job' mentality is that most jobs require a permanent address.

I was semi homeless at one point in high school. My family lived in a hotel for a month or two. It really sucked. Not nearly as bad as living on the street but it still wasn't fun at all.

I always try to be nice to homeless people. I give them a few bucks if I have some, which is pretty rare.

They're just people. I don't know why some people are so hateful. I'm glad you were nice to the poor guy.

We were homeless for years when i was a child. My mother chose for us to be. It was rough. That being said, a lot of homeless people made choices that led them to that point. I will help those who are willing to help themselves, but otherwise.... If I see someone looking for help, and they took the time to clean themselves up and have an open and honest look, I will give them money. If they have a dog, I will feed the dog. I know that the choice between a roof and keeping your dog can be a serious issue in some places. If I see someone asking god to help on a sign, sitting there with something expensive while begging, saying thank you jebus or something... For obvious reasons, I won't help. It seems like a slap in the face. Especially when the people helping most in the world are not christians. I keep well aware of homeless resources in a given area. Most areas have tons of resources.

I was homeless for half of 2014. I lived out of my car, parked in a walmart parking lot. It's incredibly difficult to function at a full-time job when you can't afford basic conveniences like a real bed, or three full meals, or even a hot shower. I ended up shaving my head because my hair got to the point I couldn't keep up on basic maintenance (I have very thick hair, and at the time, it was past my shoulders). I managed to find a part-time job, but even that only paid minimum wage, which was barely enough to keep gas in my car's tank each week.

In all six months that I was living out of my car, I only slept on a real bed four times. Two of those times were for conventions that I worked with my friend who lived in the area, once was during the holidays, when I drove to my parents' house in another state, and once was because I got so desperate for shelter that I went to the Salvation Army hoping to find shelter that didn't come with the risk of being tossed out for not being Christian.

I had a laptop and a cell phone. Both of which were old. The laptop (which I still have and am currently using) was the one I bought in 2010 when I was going to school, and my phone was from 2010 as well, and was getting to the point where I couldn't read text messages.

Where I was, there wasn't much in terms of services for the poor. There were a couple of food pantries, one of which I utilized, but no homeless shelters in the part of the county I was in. There was a McDonald's that I went to during the day if I wasn't at work, to take advantage of the free wifi and occasionally buy a cheeseburger off the dollar menu when I had the money to do so, and a couple of grocery stores within walking distance... when I got my food stamps card, that helped me immensely. I didn't have to budget my food each week anymore, and was able to have full meals again.

one of the things that I didn't do was sit on the curb with a sign. Mostly because my pride wouldn't let me, and partially because it likely wouldn't have done much good.

I had a similar experience as well with a homeless man. I was getting some pizza for my family and the pizza place is right in front of Walmart. When I turned into the Walmart lot, there was an older guy sitting down in the grass with a cardboard sign and I couldn't read all what it had said but it said, "Homeless." As I drove by, I felt really bad about it. I got the pizza and drove off...but then, I decided to turn back around and see if the guy is still there. I had no job, so I couldn't give him any change, but I called him over in my car, parked in an unsafe spot lol (No cars came by) and I offered two pieces of the pizza. He told be he was blind in one eye and deaf in one ear and blessed me that I gave him food. He walked off and I felt so much better. :)

My heart breaks, thinking about it. This is something that truly could affect any one of us, at any time - all it would take is the 'perfect storm' of circumstances. I think we all take that for granted.

There is a man at our local mall.... his name is Dale, and he was once a college professor. Now, he is homeless and spends his days in the mall. I have no idea where he spends his nights...this city is not particularly welcoming or accommodating for the homeless. Our mayor bulldozed a tent city the homeless had built, in the middle of winter a few years back...

...where's that winning lotto ticket already, so I can fix the world? Clothing drives and donations just aren't enough.

Growin up I know my family at one point was homeless, but I was to young to remember. My father taught me to show compassion to homeless people and listen to their stories, if they see to have something on their mind weighing them down.

As adult I was homeless for half of 2013... It was sh***y and cold ( became homeless in the winter/autumn period ) I had no idea where to go, the people in the system put me on a waiting list for a home while I scrambled around collecting bottles ad cans I could get money from, then spendt the money from that getting to my sisters place where I could be sleeping on her couch for a lil month, parents I couldnt sleep at as if the system found out they would loose their money. I was/am out of education and also got a diagnosis on aspergers syndrome which didnt make it any easier to find job or home. finally in end of december managed to find an apartment.. ( In a company I later found out have a horrible reputation so Ive been trying to save up to get away from here. )

It really annoys me when media and people on social media make fun of homeless persons, or blames them for being lazy and not pulling themselves together. Sometimes it makes me so agressive. Especially when people in my country seem to have the mentality of '' no one is homeless unless they want to be homeless ''
I got a bunch of blankets in my apartment I will give to the homeless in this town, but have yet to figure out where to go to deliver them now its getting colder. Unfortunately there also are pretenders in town.. people that will change place with other people that drives in expensive cars, which only lesds to more mistrust from the people here. If I still lived in the capital I would know where to donate food as well as clothes, but I have not seen or read or even heard of any shelters in this town, but I've seen a lot of homeless sell the homeless news paper in town ( which btw is a very interesting read, created by homeless or ex homeless people where the seller will get half of what each paper costs, while the rest goes to the production of the paper that gets out monthly. )
I gladly pay those who sell these papers and have a 'seller-ID' provided from those that creates and distributes the news papers.