Why Are You Homeless?
Giffird had befriended an older man named William, who was the perfect poster child for homelessness. He had a full beard, a worn, torn suit, and a shopping cart full of belongings. But William had such great control of the English language that it impressed everyone around him, especially Giffird. One day, he asked, “William, why are you homeless? You’re so intelligent!” His reply was simply, “Giffird, you’re also very intelligent.”
William’s kind and humble nature was very comforting to Giffird, but at the same time, he was curious about the man. Giffird was very persistent in urging William to tell him his story, but the man would just intentionally avoid him. One night, Giffird was especially persuasive, and William finally opened up. The story he shared would change Giffird’s life forever.
William told Giffird that he had been an orphan from a very young age but left the orphanage and traveled from one foster home to another throughout his childhood. His first memory as a child was looking through a knothole in a wooden fence in the backyard of one of his foster homes. On the other side, he watched as a mother and father played with their children in their backyard. William said that all he could remember was looking to the sky and asking GOD, “Why don’t I have a mommy or a daddy?”
When Giffird heard this, he felt fortunate that he, at least, had a family—even though they were dysfunctional at times.
Giffird had befriended an older man named William, who was the perfect poster child for homelessness. He had a full beard, a worn, torn suit, and a shopping cart full of belongings. But William had such great control of the English language that it impressed everyone around him, especially Giffird. One day, he asked, “William, why are you homeless? You’re so intelligent!” His reply was simply, “Giffird, you’re also very intelligent.”
William’s kind and humble nature was very comforting to Giffird, but at the same time, he was curious about the man. Giffird was very persistent in urging William to tell him his story, but the man would just intentionally avoid him. One night, Giffird was especially persuasive, and William finally opened up. The story he shared would change Giffird’s life forever.
William told Giffird that he had been an orphan from a very young age but left the orphanage and traveled from one foster home to another throughout his childhood. His first memory as a child was looking through a knothole in a wooden fence in the backyard of one of his foster homes. On the other side, he watched as a mother and father played with their children in their backyard. William said that all he could remember was looking to the sky and asking GOD, “Why don’t I have a mommy or a daddy?”
When Giffird heard this, he felt fortunate that he, at least, had a family—even though they were dysfunctional at times.