What is "freedom"?

[Lao Tzu]

How many peeps on this thread have actually been homeless?

Just curious.

I was for a week. It sucked.

 

[test boy ii]

I was for a week. It sucked.

Backpackers are homeless.

I've been homeless for weeks.

 

[chazk]

To me it means having no laws. Plain and simple. Of course, this would mean chaos, so in order to have true freedom, we must have chaos.

Rock on, brother (or sister); rock on.

now why did you have to tell George bush that was freedom just look at what its done to iraq

 

[chazk]

How many peeps on this thread have actually been homeless?

Just curious.

At age 17 I loaded up all my clothes with a alarm clock. One day I took a drive and never went home .Lived in my car for 2 months it was tough at age 17. I rented a storage locker for 30$ a month then moved into that .I tapped into the light in the roof and ran a extension cord off it.Then everyweek people would move out of storage lockers and leave good stuff behind .I got a bed ,end table ,lamp.Then one day hit the jackpot a tv .It worked perfect it was just out dated looking so they threw it away.

I refused to be on the street I knew that drugs ,drinking and crime would do me in.

I slept in the unit then every morning woke up around 8 am drove down the street to the public truck stop /rest area and took a shower and shaved .then went to work , I did clothes once a week

Some times I look back at my life and am thankful even more for the stuff I have now.A nice home ,nice cars,two dogs and a wonderful fiance. It gets me upset when she wants a bigger house and a newer car (makes me wonder if she can ever be happy and not desire what she does not have but be happy with what we already have).I hate to watch her throw away food half eatin.She has never been homless or slept on the floor of a storage unit if she did I think she would see the world a little bit def then she does now.

Not all homless people want to be homless.Many were abused told by their fathers or mothers they were usless .Many homless women were in a abusive relationship where they got insulted on a daily bases by a person that broke down their self esteem to the point where they do not want to live anymore or feel they cant do any better.Some are mentally challanged.
Some people live pay check to paycheck to the point if they get laid off or lost their job they would lose the house the cars and eventually the will to live or rebuild you would be surprised how fast someone can lose it all

I do give to the homless but its not money .I give to them by getting involved with the local salvation army food drive and sunday breakfast.
I talk with a homless man named ron.His wife died 13 yrs ago he says he is in linger waiting to die so he can eventually see her once more to reunite for eternity.He carries pictures of her with him its the only thing he hangs onto.
Most have had something tramadic happen to them and the end result is depression and anti social behavior becuase havinga house would mean they were normal and they just cant handle a normal life any longer due ot the breakdown.

 

[Bikini Mod]

FINALLY an intelligent man appears.....

I too have been homeless at 35 - for the reasons you cited. Went from having a nice little home, a business and 4 children to NOTHING and NO ONE, sick, alone and illegal in a country where I could not speak the primary language.

And so has my husband at age 16 circumstances similar to yours.

Your post was quite succint and touching. I wish that it could be "stickied" somehow.

Happiness is having what you want, but rather in wanting what you have.

And the others two who shared that they were homeless (not the bobos who talked of back-packing pleasure trips ) are also quite helpfull in expressing how the stress of not knowing where you will sleep at night or if you will have food changes you for life. Trying to explain this to someone who has never experienced it is very difficult.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

FINALLY an intelligent man appears.....

I too have been homeless at 35 - for the reasons you cited. Went from having a nice little home, a business and 4 children to NOTHING and NO ONE, sick, alone and illegal in a country where I could not speak the primary language.

And so has my husband at age 16 circumstances similar to yours.

Your post was quite succint and touching. I wish that it could be "stickied" somehow.

Happiness is having what you want, but rather in wanting what you have.

And the others two who shared that they were homeless (not the bobos who talked of back-packing pleasure trips ) are also quite helpfull in expressing how the stress of not knowing where you will sleep at night or if you will have food changes you for life. Trying to explain this to someone who has never experienced it is very difficult.

Most people have no choice when they become homeless. From 7 figure execs to hourly workers. Takes just one day and people can go from posh to under a bridge.

I finally have read the most intelligent and compassionate post on this forum.
Kudos to chazk!!!!!

 

[justinjones1963]

Freedom is a bottle of vodka and the ability to swing a good donkey punch.

 

[krishna]

FINALLY an intelligent man appears.....

I too have been homeless at 35 - for the reasons you cited. Went from having a nice little home, a business and 4 children to NOTHING and NO ONE, sick, alone and illegal in a country where I could not speak the primary language.

And so has my husband at age 16 circumstances similar to yours.

Your post was quite succint and touching. I wish that it could be "stickied" somehow.

Happiness is having what you want, but rather in wanting what you have.

And the others two who shared that they were homeless (not the bobos who talked of back-packing pleasure trips ) are also quite helpfull in expressing how the stress of not knowing where you will sleep at night or if you will have food changes you for life. Trying to explain this to someone who has never experienced it is very difficult.

Why is he intelligent, because you say so? I fought my way out of starvation and homelessness. I did take to drugs and crime and did whatever I could to eat and find somewhere to sleep. I made it out just like the guy who avoided drugs and crime. People take different paths, but if their heart is in the right place, the paths will end up going to the same place. I wasn't an evil person, I just did what I could to survive. I was like robin hood - hustling money from the rich so that me and my friends could survive. I know now that it's not what I should be doing with my life, but it got me through some tough times with some wild memories too. Don't regret a thing.

 

[Gambino]

On a side note- I for one have more respect for the person who tries to outrun the cops when being chased for a speeding violation instead of merely pulling over like society's beaten dog.

Rock on, brother (or sister); rock on.

would you have respect for this alluder if his freedom to run from the police killed a family member in a car accident?
you freedom stops at the bridge of my nose

 

[milo hobgoblin]

freedom

the freedom to pursue any action as long as it cause no harm to another.