My friend recently became homeless
It seems she got into a disagreement with her mum over god knows what and this led to her being kicked out of her parents home
Only problem is she’s not alone, she has a young child to look after as well
Being a single mother without a roof over your head can drive a person crazy with fear and panic
She’s not in the best place right now and yet when offered help she defiantly said she’d find her own way
I had to admire her tenacity to do whatever it takes to find a way to look after herself and child
I felt helpless in a way
What can I do?
That question ran through my mind countless times as I sought out ways in which I could be a support to a person I considered ‘friend’
I didn’t want my ‘help’ to come across as patronising, demeaning or humiliating in any way
How do you help someone in need without stripping them of their rightful dignity and respect
The only answer that came to mind was to let her know that the option for support was there
She wouldn’t need to feel forced to take it but it’s worth knowing that there are options
When a person is in a place where they feel like their backs are up against the wall, it’s very likely that they also feel like they have very little to no option
That they lack for choice
That can lead any of us to do things that in normal circumstances we would never even allow to enter our minds
It causes people to behave ‘out of character’
The least someone can do for a friend in this type of situation is remind them that they do indeed have options
They have choices and have people in their corner, willing to stand in the gap between them and their troubles
Sometimes, more than money or anything else, people just need to know you’re in their corner, on their side and walking with them in their time of need
They will figure the rest out on their own, in due time
All you need to do is just be a friend
Be well
SRZ
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