It is sad and so telling that there still remains very little political will to do anything about housing the homeless in my city. Why else this paralysis? What would be a simpler solution to our housing problems than simply making housing affordable to everybody? Why is it too big an ask that all rental accommodations should not be allowed to charge any more than thirty percent of the renters' income for housing, no matter their earning category? If it wasn't for the greed of the property developers and landlords, and if it wasn't for the spinelessness of our elected officials. Is it really too much to ask?
I am finding public transit a challenge these days. It is being in a confined place with people who don't always know when to safely distance. Yesterday, I found myself fighting a panic attack shortly after I got on the bus. Then when I was sleeping I had a nightmare of some young male passenger punching me when I asked him for two metres of safe distancing, and the young female bus driver was just too busy periodically sucking face with her boyfriend while driving the bus to appear very interested in my plight. Then, today on the Skytrain, I fought another mild panic attack.
Fortunately these things do not affect my breathing. But I know where this is coming from. I am not immune to the ambient fear and anxiety that is afflicting us all. But I also trust that because I am a positive person, and that I reach out to others in love and care, that this will keep me from succumbing to this anxiety. I will not be protected from feeling any of it. This is how we develop empathy and compassion. And I am going to continue using public transit every single day if I have to, because I want to suffer with others and to help them overcome through my own overcoming, because that is the way of Christ.
So is housing the homeless. We have so much work to do, Gentle Reader.
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