Disclaimer: the causes and impact of homelessness are multi-layered and wayyy to complex to discuss in a short podcast. The intentions of this episode are just to humanise and bring to life real stories.

I think this is my favorite podcast yet. The podcast was inspired by a homeless man a spoke to a few days ago, I quote him in the first sentence of the podcast. His story and his energy that day sparked deep sadness within me. I talk from the heart, about the homeless people I have met in my life through my work and on the street.

I share the joy that we can get when we realise we have so many more similarities with people than we do differences. But, I also share my anger and frustrations of injustice and social inequality.

I share stories about my experience working with Crisis and the incredible work the charity does across the UK- one of the highlights being the meaningful work they do around Christmas time. I talked about the connections I have made working and celebrating Christmas- a time where we can almost enter another world for a day, and just be humans connecting and enjoying being together.

I talk about the difference between the shame attached to making a decision from necessity rather than choice. Relating it to be homeless out of necessity and giving up your home as choice to downsize or travel the world or in my own experience of choosing to use an old Nokia phone now as an adult instead of the shame or embarrassment I would have felt if I had the wee Nokia out of necessity as a teenager.

I have often felt a deep connection or/and draw towards homeless people, I see myself sometimes, that somewhat romanticized idea of not fitting into the existing structures that our society presents to us. That idea that this de-attached from nature and community, world, we live in doesn't really jive with all that much- and my heart is really in the Orkney islands or in Glen Rosa.... And also that the idea that a person can never fully reach their full potential when their basics needs are not met, and how many incredible people do we lose because of their daily circumstances hold them back.

Crisis For Christmas

a wee blog post I found from the time I volunteered with Crisis:
https://dweebyrunner18.wordpress.com/2017/03/13/the-fluidity-of-life/

Bethany trust sleepout we did at the Vennie community center in Livingston.

Music played: Stephen Wake, The Old Copperplate