To Be Given A Future

Yesterday I had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting for an apartment building. A nonprofit organization was able to purchase a vacant, foreclosed property in a neighborhood suffering from blight and renovate the building to provide homes for four families experiencing homelessness. Not only was this small apartment building going to help the four families, it  could also begin to improve conditions on the street and eventually turn things around for the whole neighborhood.

One of the new residents attended the ceremony and was able to see her apartment for the first time. She had been living in a shelter with her baby in a Pack ‘n Play next to her. The apartment was small, but it had been completely furnished by two local decorators who volunteered to bring the community together, collect items, and produce a fantastic-looking apartment.

The mom was overwhelmed when she saw the baby’s room. The darling pink draping and hanging toy were sweet. After being shown a trendy living room and fully-stocked pantry, she was emotional when she saw all the special details for her baby.

Now I find myself remembering my first pregnancy. My husband worked for the World Bank. When he had to go on an extended trip to Thailand, I felt very alone. Even though it was temporary, I couldn’t help but imagine how terrible it would be if he didn’t come back. We owned a nice little house. I had friends and family. Even with all this support, I couldn’t fathom being all by myself and having a child.

So I find myself thinking about how she must have felt to be alone in that shelter with a little one depending on her. I don’t really know what it feels like to have nothing I could call my own, to have my life filled with such uncertainty. But I saw what it felt like to walk into an apartment and be given a chance for a good, stable life because strangers cared enough to make it happen. The gratitude and love of that powerful moment was overwhelming.

The decorators put a sign in her bedroom window which said “Dream”. Now that she has the dignity of a home, she can.