Chill in the Air and in our Hearts?

This afternoon, I went to meet some dear friends, Mic and Luca for coffee in downtown Chicago. As I stepped off the bus near State St., I noticed a person was lying in the middle of the sidewalk. This man was lying on the subway grate where the warm air blows up so that he would be warm enough to sleep for a while. However, the blanket that he had was blown half way off of his back, and his shirt was pulled up a little, exposing his scratched skin to the freezing air. He was laying on part of his blanket, making it difficult to pull up and over him. So, as I stood there, with a sinking and helpless feeling in my stomach, another woman came up and together we tried to think of what the most beneficial action could be.

All of a sudden, a police officer rolled up, and the woman said "Oh, good, maybe he can help." I felt a moment of relief, but then fear that maybe this would worsen the man's situation, drawing negative attention to him.

The officer walked over to us, and said "What's going on?" The woman said "He was just sleeping there." Then immediately, he peeled the blanket off the man, and said "You can't sleep here." I felt instantly panicked, and somehow betrayed, as that wasn't the outcome we had intended. I couldn't help but ask why he had to leave. Then the officer said "Well, because you guys don't want him here." (It's troubling that our needs are more valued than his.) The woman and I said "No, that's not true, we never said that, we were just worried about him as it's so cold out." The officer, who was holding a copy of "Hamlet" in his hand, explained that he was actually just reading Hamlet, thus, wasn't looking to come over and interfere either, he would just assume get back to his reading of Hamlet, and by the way, had we heard of Hamlet?! The officer offered the man a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, which was kind, but the man declined and compliantly stood up, putting his coat on properly (as it was simply spread across his shoulders and head while he was sleeping.)

What happened in the next few moments were so shocking to me that I stood there with my mouth open, and heart sinking, watching the man walk off and into an alley.

The woman and I pleaded to let the man continue to do what he wanted to do, as we then realized that might have been the warmest spot for him. The officer explained to us that the man would probably come back, as he refuses to go to the homeless shelters. (Many people who are homeless find being in the shelters difficult due to bedbugs, their items being stolen by other residents, or they aren't able to become sober to meet requirements of some shelters. Personally, if I were living on the streets, I think I would find it difficult to not drink as well...)

So, without a moment of pause for the graveness of the situation that we were encountering; a fellow human being lying on the sidewalk on one of the coldest days this Winter, he asked us what our occupations were. The woman answered "A Divorce Lawyer." He responded "Oh, I need one of those." So as the man walked off and into the distance, she gave him her business card, and he asked "Are you sure you're a good Divorce Lawyer?" to which she replied "The best!" They said their jovial goodbyes, pleased that they had essentially just made some type of a business deal. I walked off and across the street, trying to take in what had just happened, as perhaps they did in the following moments in their own ways.

I thank God for such great friends, whom I was going to meet. We discussed this situation, proposed questions of what God calls us to do in relationship to poverty, in others and our own. We shared about forgiveness of our brokenness and mistakes as humans, mercy & grace. We laughed a lot too, which takes away so much heaviness!

Before we left the cafe, Mic mentioned the Sufjan Stevens song, "Chicago", whose lyrics below seem to shed some light on the topic of redemption. I believe that we are each children of God, regardless of the religions we identify with. God is bigger than our human minds can imagine. In my life because of Jesus' love, I experience much strength and healing. I pray for guidance to know how to be more loving to other humans, as each one of us are more incredibly Beloved than we can dare to imagine.


"If I was crying
in the van with my friend
it was for freedom, from myself,
and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes,
I made a lot of mistakes,
I made a lot of mistakes,
I made a lot of mistakes.

You came to take us,
all things go, all things go
To recreate us,
all things grow, all things grow
We had our mindset,
all things know, all things know
You had to find it,
all things go, all things go."