Meet John and Sasha

As per usual, the path I walk to my regular "Timmies" downtown London, is both encouraging and unsettling.?There are so many unique and interesting small businesses, whose owners are welcoming and hardworking.?Right outside their doors however, lurk individuals struggling to endure the streets, sleeping in doorways, no matter the weather, and getting "their fix" in plain view.

This day, I met Sasha and John.?They were propped up against the wall outside "Timmies", and Sasha asked me for change.?“I don’t have change”, I said, “but would you like something to eat?”?“Yes, please” was their answers.?No surprise there.?

They both asked for their favourite donuts; 1 double chocolate, 1 vanilla sprinkle.?This simple request made me think of my kids, who are now grown adults, and who really only got donuts as treats.?I thought of their favourites.?Who doesn’t have one, right??

I don’t think the space between; warm house in the suburbs, and life on the street, is as wide as most people think.?It can take one foolish and devastating choice to explore illicit drugs, or perhaps a sequence of many small foibles, lack of support at home and/or mental health issues, that lead one to the streets.

Sasha has two children ages 12 and 11.?At 23, due to her personal circumstances, she put her daughter up for adoption.?She has a twin sister, whom she loves and who takes care of her 11 yr. old.?“CAS didn’t help me, and The Centre for Hope doesn’t allow using; we need more shelters”, she shared glumly.??“I use drugs as a coping mechanism”.? John nodded.?

John, who is in his mid 30’s, was listening for a bit, but struggled to stay focused.?He?has the most beautiful brown eyes, I have ever seen. The big, round ones you see on a teddy-bear. Kind eyes.?I told him so. He looked straight into mine. “Thank you,” he said leisurely.

“She’s my "sister",” he whispered and then promptly rolled over and got comfortable on the hard cement to nod off.?He has 3 years of college and had hopes and dreams, but indicated things hadn’t worked out too well for him.

Sasha has a tent and receives a basic needs allowance. She was kicked out of her accommodations last year.?“It’s very, very hard on the streets”, she cried, as tears rolled down her cheeks.?I apologized for bringing up tough memories and desperately hoped our conversation didn’t give her additional, unnecessary pain.? A horrible thought for me.?

“Don’t judge us because we don’t have a home, we are all human”.?That’s what I want people to know.”?

?“Everyone has a story,” she uttered. No kidding, I thought.