Originally written in 2019. Some names and identifying details have been changed to respect the privacy of the people whose stories are shared here.
I really enjoy my evening walks with Lola. Life from her perspective – standing at less than a foot above the ground – is quite different.
She notices feet and things that happen to be sitting at her eye level. This also means that she makes connections with people who are sitting on the ground. She meets them where they are at.
Yesterday we sat down and had a lovely conversation with a fella whom Lola had connected with. I’ll call him Charlie. He has lived without a home for many years. His home is his backpack. He sleeps in Beacon Hill Park at night and panhandles during the day to buy beer because he is an alcoholic and needs to find relief. He suffers from depression but does his best to stay positive. He has asked the government for help and is hoping to get back on his feet and finally have a roof over his head. He grew up on northern Vancouver Island, is First Nations, and misses his culture and heritage.
I told Charlie about my son Steven and his struggles. He cried as he listened. He said, “You need to share this story about your son so people know that it can happen to anyone.” I agreed.
We will visit him again. Lola is a sort of angel here on Earth. She sees what we as humans often miss.
I’m so grateful for these opportunities to connect at street level. My life is far richer for them.