Face to face with the systems that say

You can exist there but not here

There is the scorched earth my ancestors left behind.

Here is my mansion on top of a hill. Close the curtains.

“You can’t do that here, it’s against the rules.”

“Why don’t you just get a job?”

Private Property keep away, no trespassing.

but whose land was it first?

Wasting away under a hot high desert sun.

Water is scarce but also sacred.

Where the work of just living saps all energy.

Look away if you’re uncomfortable. Keep plugging into the systems that serve a select few.

They deserved it.

Maybe they should have worked harder.

That’s too bad.

Thoughts and prayers.

They’re not contributing enough.

Enough!

If you’re not a part of the solution, you are the problem.

Why do we just discard people?

Sacred Imago Dei lives?

Hopeless.

It’s no wonder people give up.

Deeper into the woods they go.

Surviving but not really.

Perpetuating the cycle, there’s no way out.

If you can’t see me can I exist here?

*written in the pits of despair on 9/8/21 as a way to process what we experienced when confronted about our unconventional living situation. While I don’t usually feel this low or share this side of life that much in our journey, these thoughts have plagued me from time to time the whole way through, especially as I learn more about other nomads and houseless folk. Also, as mentioned in my last post we are now in a far better place.