When Every Life Matters: A Reminder from the Homeless

During our holiday we got to spend two nights in Seattle. Our hotel was a short stroll from the truly impressive Seattle Central Library with its extraordinary architecture – a creative mixture of glass, steel, large open spaces and unusual angles. Bibliophile that I am I couldn’t resist a visit and thought I’d get a feel for the libraries priorities by noting what it was advertising on a large “what’s on” board.

Centre stage was a notice announcing a remembrance service for three “beloved community members”. Sceptic that I can be, and not having read the notice carefully, I assumed it was for three generous benefactors of the library, and then because I instinctively calculate the age at which people die, I noticed that all three of the men died relatively young – 60, 44, 47. Then I read the notice more carefully. This was not a service for three wealthy donors – but for three homeless men, whose names are to be engraved onto a bronze leaf and placed by a Tree of Life statue close to the library. It is an effort to make sure that every life is honoured and no name forgotten. They were homeless men whose closest home was the library – and they will be remembered.

To be honest, I found it very moving. We often lament that we live in an increasingly competitive, uncaring world. It’s not entirely true. Compassion and care are often found in unexpected places. Homelessness is an increasing global crisis. It’s strongly linked to poverty and often to mental health. In my short walk to the library I was startled by a man engaged in a very angry conversation. No one was with him so I assumed he was on the phone, but then realised he was simply in a furious conversation with himself – not aware of anyone else in his vicinity, but clearly very unhappy. I suspect he has no home to go to, or to be more accurate, that the streets are his home, his only conversation partner, himself, and sadly, he doesn’t like himself much, so the conversation is pretty abusive.

This is not how life is meant to be lived – we all know that. Solutions are not easy to find, but perhaps a small start can be made when we remember that everyone has a name, and everyone has a story, and they aren’t all the same. And some stories are probably more intriguing than others. One of the men being remembered is Matthew “Happy” Walker. Oh I wonder where the “Happy” came from, and am glad that in some way he could be that, despite not having a conventional home. And I imagine he would be happy indeed to know that his name is about to be engraved on a bronze leaf and that it will not be forgotten.

In Matt 10:29-31 Jesus reminds us “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside of your Father’s care.” I am so grateful that the God who knows when each sparrow falls, knows and remembers each of our names – and sometimes prompts us to remember each others names as well…

Nice chatting…

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