It: The Best Of Time, It Was The Worst Of Time

Dickens said it “it was the best of time, it was the worst of time,” in one of his best known novels. I always think of that specific quote when I remember my worst and best job, both jammed together at the same time; a rough time in my life. In 213 just before my daughter was born I decided to volunteer helping with the homeless and the blind. I was determined to make a change and devote some of my time and money since I was a recipient of a small inheritance.

I did not make any money and even if was wanting to make dollar the amount was not enough to live on in Miami; so I went to work for free. Since I was rent free thanks to my small cash inheritance from my grandmother, I was able to pay off my house and the two rental apartments units

I once met a young boy, a hole on the sole of his wasted shoes kind of boy, a boy with that had a look on his countenance that no hope was alive within him; a flameless soul. He had a dirty appearance, long blond hair with a patchy beard, as if puberty had not kicked in fully; latter on I found out he was just four days shy of his of his nineteenth birthday. He was sitting outside a supermarket holding up a sign “I will work for food.” I vividly recall the fact that he was not asking for money, he just wanted to work, and he was willing to take food as a payment. I decided at the specific moment in my life that I would be what everybody calls “financially

When I said it was the best of time, and the worst of time I actually being nice to describe my volunteer job, I was actually sugarcoating it with a sweet red cherry on top. The homeless shelter had thirty two beds at the time, and every night it had to turn away over twenty kids, and today is no different. There are many shelters throughout the Miami downtown area, but not enough to accommodate all the less fortunate kids, young adults, and the elderly that seek refuge during the night; I was sickened by the system. I’m still sicken by the system today.

I tried and I still try today to gather support for the homeless, and the response has been heartening. I truly hope to create awareness that will stretch beyond Miami since this is an ongoing crisis in the city and our Mayor has been unwilling to increase the funding for our local shelters. It is appalling that we cannot provide more shelter beds, and tolerable living arrangements for the homeless. It is revolting that we as a society cannot provide safety for young gay and lesbian homeless even within our shelter; what kind of society are we to