Thread by @John57Heinz

1/ Everyday, I am amazed at the resilience, resourcefulness and compassion of homeless individuals. While I would never argue that homelessness is something that anyone living on Planet Earth should ever have to endure, I do believe that this condition has brought out the best

2/ of many and continues to provide enduring lessons for human society which I do not think we should soon forget. Resilience noun: resilience; noun: resiliency; plural noun: resiliencies1.
the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
"the often remarkable

3/ resilience of so many British institutions"2.
the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.
"nylon is excellent in wearability, abrasion resistance and resilience"Resilience is one of the most amazing character traits I’ve witnessed. Some

4/ people just have an innate ability to survive, transform and overcome even the most challenging circumstances. Where others might lose their resolve or ability to continue, the resilient are able to rise above their circumstances while maintaining the right mental outlook

5/ necessary to make it through just about anything. Instead of complaining, feeling sorry for themselves or getting lost in depressive moods, the myself who have never endured the kinds of daily struggles so typical of the homeless experience in a nation like the United

6/ States. resilient are able to channel gratitude and appreciation even when things are not going their way. Often this character trait can be deeply challenging to comprehend, especially for those of us like Homeless people are among the most resilient individuals that I

7/ have had the pleasure of knowing. Many of the homeless people who I have gotten to know whether from my work as a social worker or in the communities in which I have lived have displayed levels of resilience which in my opinion far exceed those of others who have never

8/ endured the hardship of living without shelter. Again, while I would never wish homelessness on anyone even if it often does lead to the development of incredible resilience, I think that sometimes society forgets about this quality and the immense opportunity represented

9/ by those who have gone through experiences like homelessness which can lead to the development of resilient patterns of thought and behavior. The ability to work through challenging problems is an asset to communities. It is a quality which can lead to economic growth as we

10/ ll as to technological innovation. Homelessness in many cases creates tragic outcomes but it is equally as likely to create immense opportunities such as resilience which can offer real benefit both to the lives of individuals as well as to the communities in which they find

11/ themselves. It is extremely important for homeless individuals to remember that their experiences and ability to endure are immense treasures which are offering real benefit to the world around us. No one deserves to be homeless but every homeless person deserves to know

12/ that the resilience they are developing and cultivating on a daily basis is an immensely special quality. Resourcefulness nounnoun: resourcefulnessthe ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties.
"his films show remarkable technical

13/ resourcefulness"Closely related to resilience, resourcefulness is one of the key character traits which I have witnessed in homeless individuals. Resourceful people are able to apply the kind of outside of the box thinking which so many leading businesses are desperately

14/ seeking. Instead of being limited by their environment, they are inspired by it, and they innately know how to interact with it to create meaningful outcomes. This reminds me of the homeless gentleman who I met while I was going to school at the University of Vermont in

15/ Burlington. Realizing the immense potential offered by the internet, this man dedicated himself towards learning a skill set which he would eventually use to be able to transform his life and future. There are a wealth of resources on the internet which teach real life

16/ skills such as coding and programming which are at the leading edge of modern technological development and extremely in demand. The resourceful individual I met was dedicated to learning how to code so that he would be able to take control on his life and better provide

17/ for his young family. While we eventually lost touch, I am confident this individual was able to enjoy gainful employment as a coder following successful completion of his online based coding training. When we last spoke, this individual was already beginning to work and

18/ save money thanks to the coding education he was able to access by using free internet services in libraries. Most of us, homeless included, have access to resources like the internet. How many of us are utilizing them as the true opportunities that they are? The

19/ resourceful person knows how to interact with his or her environment. While others might fail to see this trait, I have been astounded time and time again by the immense resourcefulness of homeless people who are able to work with artistic mediums others would discard or

20/ create the things they need with the innovative passion that made MacGyver a household name in previous decades. The truth is homeless people are some of the most resourceful on the planet and this is a real asset to communities across the United States. My Life through a

21/ Lens on Unsplash Compassion nounnoun: compassion; plural noun: compassionssympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
"the victims should be treated with compassion"synonyms:pity, sympathy, feeling, fellow feeling, empathy, understanding, care,

22/ concern, solicitude, solicitousness, sensitivity, tender-heartedness, soft-heartedness, warm-heartedness, warmth, love, brotherly love, tenderness, gentleness, mercy, mercifulness, leniency, lenience, tolerance, consideration, kindness, humanity, humaneness,

23/ kind-heartedness, charity, benevolence"she gazed with compassion at the two dejected figures"Compassion is one of the most central themes I have witnessed when working with homeless individuals and families. Instead of thinking only for themselves, many homeless people have

24/ learned to live together, forming family units and sources of support which allow once vulnerable individuals to stand together with greater strength than might be possible alone. This is a quality that our human society desperately needs in 2019. Increasingly we are

25/ becoming complacent and selfish, losing sight of the interconnection that is our truest strength as a global society. The compassionate regard of homeless people is a benefit for communities and something which should be channeled into the true opportunity which it is.

26/
Homeless people are talented and capable people who have much to offer. It is essential that they remember that despite the reality of their current circumstances, they hold qualities which are essential to the future success and development of humanity. Resilience,

27/ resourcefulness and compassion are just three of a myriad of qualities I have witnessed in homeless people which are of immense benefit to society

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