the longest night of the year.

(please dont give me credit for this photo... this image was found on google images)

it was in the news

Each year on or around the winter solstice a Vigil service is held by SLC's 4th Street Clinic in memorial of the homeless who have died in the past year. This has been the second service I have attended. I have been at the shelter for a year now... Last year I stood with my new co-workers in the damp snow at the Wigand’s Center straining to hear the governor speak while the puddles of snow smothered my candle... This year we stood in Pioneer Park while a choir from East High School sang Amazing Grace... the weather was more accommodating and I recognized a few of the names listed this time... I recognized those in attendance... the people in the community that work with and for the homeless...

I think Woody Guthrie said, "Gamblin' is my nature, ramblin' is my game, Deal me your hardest card, I'll win this (wordremoved) game."

runnin and gunnin... its what a lot of our people do... i cant help but think romantically of that way of life... but in reality it is though... the women and men of the streets live life a lot faster and harder... and they die earlier... the diseases they die from in their 50s other American's die from in their 70's and 80's.

i heard a story that went a little something like this... to a former homeless person entering housing...Her case manager jokingly said, 'You probably won't get kicked out of housing unless you are selling drugs or running a whore house'... instead of responding with surprise or laughter, the women sighed... 'oh man, I am too old for that Sh*#'.




Have a very merry christmas and a happy new year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!