It's been a while......

It has been a while since I blogged, too many ups and downs and complications to be able to get on line regularly. In re-reading some of my earlier blogs I am still surprised at my naïveté when I first arrived at the shelter. I had done various volunteer work in the past, mostly animal related causes. I have cleaned cages at the humane society and had fundraisers for spay and neuter clinics in my home. When I lived in Oregon, many years ago I used to go around to the downtown bridges on Sunday mornings with hot coffee and cacao and sweet rolls. At that time the mission or other places did not open till noon on Sunday, there was no place to go for the people living under the bridges to get warm. The men and women were always grateful for hot coffee and something to eat first thing in the morning. Seemed like no matter how much I brought it was never enough. I always felt bad when I ran out of food but everyone took it in stride. I was usually by myself but never felt uncomfortable or threatened.
So when I first arrived at the shelter I took everyone at face value and believed the stories. I tried to help when I could and shared what little I had. My attitude was we are all in this together, so we stick together and help each other out. I learned the hard way! Kindness was considered weakness and I had to fight hard to stand my ground and not become a victim of other residents in the shelter. I had never been exposed to that many unscrupulous people....... homeless people ripping each other off...... It does not get much lower than that.
My first winter there my coat was stolen off my bedpost while I was sleeping, never to be seen again. The shelter suggested I keep better track of my stuff since I had not been there long enough to have earned the privilege of a locker.
I had become acquainted with most of the bus drivers that went by the shelter and one of asked me were my coat was when I only had a sweatshirt on a very cold day. When I told her what happened she brought one of her daughter's jackets to work with her the next day and actually took the time to look for me when she went by the shelter to give it to me. It's gestures like this that restored my faith and kept me going.