Money Issues, Family Problems, Job Difficulties, and Homelessness: John Lawrence

John Lawrence

               

I came across John Lawrence: an ex-veteran, hog farmer and a recovering alcoholic. He is a 62-year-old homeless. He has recently been discharged from the hospital due to a battle of pneumonia. Pneumonia is a common illness that affects millions of people each year in the United States. Germs called bacteria, viruses, and fungi may cause pneumonia.

He is a perfect example of someone with family problems, difficulties with finding a job and money issues. We don’t know much about John’s past but we do know he is an ex-marine from Kentucky. Many homeless are ex veterans from the army, marines, and air force.

 John used to be a hog farmer for a couple of years but now he roams the streets of Santa Barbara enduring its beautiful skies and unpredictable weather. It is said that John’s family, a wife and children, were killed in a car crash accident, on Valentines Day.

John cannot get a job due to the reason he is considered unstable to work for the moment. There has been a delay in the benefits he receives from the government due to tickets he has received for illegal lodging. He receives social security and veteran’s benefits. The money he receives from these two sources is the only way he has money. He now hopes for a better tomorrow and plans to get himself "cleaned up."           

The sad thing is many people tend to "shy" away from the homeless. They'd just rather wish they weren't there amongst us, on the streets, sidewalks, and in the eye of the public. Some individuals think of them as a disturbance. But we need to realize, they are humans too, they are just unfortunate. Most of the homeless have mental illnesses or are considered unable to work. With no job there is no income. We must remind ourselves that life is unexpected and we ourselves may be homeless one day.

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
-Kahlil Gibran