Homeless women help and comfort
each other as they wait for the shelter doors to open.
Whatever misery you are in, if you can
help someone else you feel stronger. It can be
addictive. It can be destructive, if you ignore
your own problems, use other people to ignore your
own problems. It is destructive not to let others
help themselves. It is equally destructive not
to let someone help. One of the artists of
StreetLife Gallery once gave a man who had hosted
one of our shows one of his wooden carvings. The
man started to give it back, saying, "No; sell
this and keep the money." The artist blew up at
him. "Don't you *ever* do that to *anybody*!
Don't you ever refuse a gift! Don't you know
that's the most demeaning thing you can do to
someone?" In Tent City, homeless people help
each other. The City of Seattle opposes the
tents, argues that everyone should go indoors.
Even if there were enough indoor shelters, some do
not care for being taken care of, having their
hours set by staff. "In Tent City," one woman
says, "it's as if we hold each others lives in our
hands." Sometimes, that feels safer than trusting
your life to bureaucrats and social workers. And
it feels good, to help.
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