You may or may not know (hey new readers!) that I
visit NYC quite often, so I've seen my share of homeless people. I, personally, am not the type of person to walk by without wondering how that person got there, how me giving them or not giving them change or food will effect them, and if anyone else helps them out. But suprisingly enough, the thing that shocked me the most this episode, was not how Danielle lived now as a houseless woman in the streets of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, but her life before that.Danielle grew up in a broken household, which is a reason for her living on the streets today. Hearing what her parents had to say about her life, her homelessness, and their own parenting, made me cry. I'm so lucky to have a safe, loving, and nuturing home enviroment, and I guess I don't appreciate it that much. Danielle's mother and father were both obviously drunk when Jenks questioned them, and their answers were even more revolting. Danielle's mother thought she did a fine job with raising her three childern, and wasn't concerned at all that Danielle was living on the streets, day to day. She said if anything, Danielle was better off on her own.
D is a very strong person. If I had a family who said those things, I would never want to visit them again. I'm not sure if it's healthy for her to visit them, but I know it's not healthy to cut them out of her life altogether. While visiting her parents, Danielle gets her Social Security ID card from her mother. With this now in her posession, she hopes to start a new life for herself, and dreams about becoming a social worker with a family. I hope this happens for her
Song stuck in my head today: ....
Keep on keepin' on,
Madison
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