Magnanimous Beauty: Alex

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Alex

This is Alex. He's just 18 years old, a recent high school graduate. The sign he's holding says

HOMELESS TEENS
PLEASE HELP
ANYTHING HELPS
Thank you SO MUCH!

Alex's mom is married to an alcoholic. There was a showdown at home last August and his stepfather said, "either the kid goes or I go." As it so often happens in an abusive home, out of fear, Alex's mom tearfully told him, "I'm sorry," and he found himself on the streets. In early September, he came to the city from a suburban town hoping to meet up with other kids and maybe find some work to do. Four months later, he's still on the street.

Alex tells me that he tries to keep a low profile so that he won't get roughed up by anyone. I took him into Dunkin' Donuts today for some food. He didn't want to take advantage of me so I had to play the mom card and order him to actually accept a full combo meal and not just a sandwich. He smiled shyly and asked if he could have a hot chocolate, too. My heart shattered. And yes, he got his hot chocolate.

I'm going to meet up with Alex on Christmas day and hopefully get him linked up with some people who can get him on the right track. He's a sweet kid with a whole future ahead of him. I might not be able to do much but I'll do what I can to help.

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Magnanimous Beauty Defined:

What exactly is magnanimous beauty and why did I choose that particular name for this blog? This intro is a bit on the long side. Bear with me - it's worth the read!

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Magnanimous beauty is beauty that comes from within - noble, illuminating, inner beauty. Our society is so incredibly hyper-focused on that which is easily seen... the perfect body, the latest fashions, having the coolest gadgetry. Even if we have none of these things, there are certain societal norms that we are expected to conform to and those who don't are considered undesirable, lesser people.

Did you see a panhandler on the street while you were out doing your holiday shopping? He's probably a con-artist looking to get his share of the pie, going home to a nice apartment at the end of an underhanded day. Did you see a homeless person with missing teeth, bad body odor, smelling of urine? Gross, right? Why don't these people get "real" jobs and quit bothering the rest of us? Let's be honest. Most of us have had one or more of these thoughts run through our minds. These street people aren't "normal." They're a nuisance and probably crazy - if we're not careful, they might mug us! They make us feel uncomfortable. We recoil in disgust, make jokes, or, at the very least, step out of the potential offender's path, hoping they won't single us out and make us feel even more uncomfortable.

The truth is, the majority of people living on the streets are not going home to some fancy high rise in the Gold Coast at the end of the day. If they do have a home at all, it's much more likely to be located in a filthy, seedy part of town.

Body odor? Have you offered to give a homeless person a small care package that includes deodorant or toothpaste? Did you know that there virtually is no place for these people to go to the bathroom during the day? They're run out of restaurants, convenience stores, hotel lobbies, the train station... where exactly are they supposed to go? They try to hold it as long as they can until they can find a bathroom. They don't always make it. The end result is dehumanizing. They're devastated but to cry in front of you, in front of me... in front of anyone is the ultimate humiliation. Instead they shuffle along through the night, hoping they won't be harassed by drunk partiers out for the weekend, hoping to stay warm in sub-zero temperatures, trying desperately to stay sane in their present situation that, let's face it, is truly crazy-making.

I want to introduce you to some friends of mine. They're some of the street people of Chicago, Illinois. You need to know them. They're people. They matter to someone. They most certainly matter to me. And I hope, once you've met them, they'll matter to you, too.