Living Outdoors

Have you ever asked: With shelters available to the homeless, why do some persist on living outside, under bridges and in storefront doorways?

As pointed out by WCCO TV, Minneapolis, the answer may be hiding as close as your nearest ‘tenting’ neighbor.

Tent Campers Form Friendly Fraternity
http://wcco.com/local/local_story_210161856.html

“For many, that's the appeal of tenting; a comforting feeling of becoming part of your surroundings. Every night in a tent is a one-on-one experience with nature and nature is always an excellent host.

Pleasant memories of the simple things, like the morning sun casting long shadows on tent walls, is what really motivates tenters and continually lures them back to the outdoors.”

There is a large segment of the homeless population that avoids using drop-in centers or overnight shelters. If you ask them why they’d prefer living outside, often alone and in miserable conditions, you’ll get answers as varied and twisted as the persons you ask. But most answers will wind down and around to this:

“I belong here. This is my home. Here, I am free to be me.”

It’s like WCCO points out, “Pleasant memories of the simple things … lures them back to the (great) outdoors.” In other words: You can take the man out of homelessness; but you can’t take the homelessness out of the man.

I think it’s okay to be homeless and poor. And I hope, content. I think it’s okay if simple things bring you pleasant memories.

I hope your life is a special blessing from God, whether you are homeless or not.