5 Days for the Homeless

Nothing but a cardboard box and a sleeping bag separating me from the cold cement.

Who would sleep outside in March in Montreal voluntarily? Those that are trying to raise awareness and funds for Dans La Rue, a nonprofit organization that helps get youth off the street. This was my third year participation in the campaign 5 Days for the Homeless (www.5days.ca/montreal) and my second year sleeping outside. We essentially have to emulate the lives of homeless people by not showering for five days, not buying any food, sleeping on the streets and staying in the same set of clothes (those were the stipulated rules and not the norms for all homeless people). For the first three days, I would wake up and then head straight to work and then go back outside to panhandle right after my day was done. Fortunately, my company was very understanding and put up with the same clothes and progressively greasy hair. Throughout the 5 days, I bonded with fantastic volunteers and listened to incredible stories from homeless people who commended what we were doing. They felt comfortable enough to sit and chat till the wee hours of the morning. What stood out for me the most this year was not people’s generosity or the increasingly amount of homeless people but the large number of lonely people in Montreal. I had endless conversations with people, who I assume are not homeless, who just wanted someone to chat with. I had debates over whether the government should be funding in vitro fertility treatments (I disagree the money can go elsewhere like education), politics at Concordia University and divorce rates. Pedestrians felt at ease to speak and knew that I had all the time in the world. It made me realize how important just everyday communication is and how I need to improve my patience level. Why is it that we no longer engage in random conversations? By doing so you could make someone’s day. We need to pop those personal bubbles and smile or say hi to the person next to you.