From sequins to dust, only a fine illusory veil of light covers over obscurity.

The lives of each and every one of us can change dramatically and unexpectedly from one moment to the next. Sometimes those that we are close to are the ones in potential danger.
Who can say : " it'll never happen to me" ? Losing hope and the spiral of depression can drive people to act in a way they would never normally do.

The sudden loss of a husband or wife, the terrible rupture of a divorce, losing a job, the suppression of unemployment benefits, etc… The list of events is long and how each person will react in a difficult or tense context is extremely complex to understand. No two people have the same character, conditioning or genes. This simple fact is often ignored. Being able to understand these human differences is called "Tolerance", a quality that many judges unfortunately lack. Who knows, these same men of law may one day end up on the streets with those they once condemned!

Depression has many consequences that only worsen the situation of its sufferers. Medical treatment is needed but rarely called for. The depressed lose their sense of judgement and don't realize they are sick.

Paradoxically, alcohol provides them with temporary relief from their suffering and stress. On this downhill road people finish up by becoming alcoholics. One day they don't go home and doss out. This is the first step towards exclusion. Some lucky ones have families that are sufficiently patient and attentive to help them to reintegrate into society. Without this precious support it is easy to abandon all hope for the future or for returning to "normal life".

One shouldn't forget the poor and destitute that, worn out by the fight against economic realities, are forced to make this choice. Entire families find themselves on the streets, thrown out of their homes because they can no longer pay.

Depression is a common phenomenon in the world of social exclusion, but is not the only reason why young people become homeless. Poverty, parental indifference, being misunderstood, divorces and incompatibilities between step parents and children are all reasons which drive young people to leave home. It is also often difficult for young men and women from state homes or brought up in foster families to adapt to society. Hard and soft drug-taking and minor delinquency are also factors that lead adolescents into situations where they end up having problems with the police. Their families then disown them and they find themselves alone in a hostile world. This premature and spontaneous independence imposed by parents is the beginning of the downhill spiral. Parents don't realize how heavy the consequences of this sometimes thoughtless attitude can be. Youngsters rebel against society to obtain freedom, but it is difficult for them to assume it.

Lastly, the street is a home to foreigners in precarious situation, both to those with work permits and to those who have entered France illegally or have come to the end of their right of stay.

In January 2001 this amounted to more than 29% of the homeless population, which is four times larger than the percentage with respect to all of the French population. All these people live out in the streets, under bridges, in squats, in shacks or in tents, etc…
Most of them are users of aid services such as hot meals, lodging services and medical aid.

Generally speaking, our attitude towards the homeless reflects our fears a great deal more than our compassion. Let us open our hearts and feel empathy towards our fellow men in difficulty.

© Alain Hodot