Toronto
Well here I am, after 27 long indecisive years, I find myself in the one place that makes me feel whole and like i am a real person, Toronto. I have awaited this day for a long time now, knowing that one day i would make the move into the "city of dreams" as a young child and a teenager I would often dream of one day moving to Toronto and finding myself, finding a career and finding a niche that suits me. I am here with my small but comfortable family, a few animals and a certain someone who tries to hate me.
A Typical Morning:
Every morning I have the same routine, I wake up, make coffee, walk the dog, have a shower, feed the dog, put on my clothes, grab all of my things I will need for the day (MP3 player, my lunch, my shoes, makeup, hair brush, Blackberry) I throw it all into my 170 dollar designer hand bag just as my toast pops and I am out the door. I walk across the street jump on the street car (that costs 2.75 a ride) and blend in with the others on their way to the same place as I am, work. Here I am, 7.30 in the morning on my way to the "Wall Street" of Toronto. Yes, Bay and King. One should feel happy about their experience to work downtown of the biggest city in Canada. Not me, I am upset every morning while I am on my way to work.
I jump of the jammed street car at Younge Street, right outside of the Eaton Centre and walk the rest off the way. Some days I walk down Younge, others I will travel up Queen St a bit and take Bay. Just as I turn the corner I see it, I see what I have been dreading all morning. I see the devastation, the homeless sleeping on their chosen grates that sit over the subway system. Asleep with a few personal belongings. This makes me want to cry. Here I am with money, designer shoes and purses walking my way to work and the whole time I took everything I did this morning for granted. Some people don't get to do these wonderful things we all hate.
All of a sudden I hear "excuse me miss, could you spare some change for a coffee?" although I am pleased to hand over the only 2 dollars in my expensive purse, I am angry because they are saving for drugs and booze and the words of my boyfreind ring in my head "Angela, dont give them any money" then I ask myself "what is wrong with this fucking country?" Why is it that 40 dollars a month can keep alive my sponsor child in Africa along with her Mother and 2 brothers, but 40 dollars in this country couldn't get you a hot meal, a pack of smokes and a ride to and from work?
I have watched everyone walk by these poor souls who have nothing and they give them nothing. I am sure a lot of you are saying "they have done it to themselves" and you are right, the probably have, but what is wrong with giving them another chance at a decent life? If anyone can find an answer it, then you aren't worth anything yourself and you have probably lost your soul. I want to purpose a "penny drive" I want there to be a place where people can take their useless pennies, to give someone a better life, maybe, just maybe if everyone in Toronto dropped off 50 cents in pennies, then there could be a funding for a shelter to give them a place to eat and clean themselves up. I know there are shelters out there they can go but as each year passes they get shut down due to lack of funding.
So as you are on your way to work in the morning, take a look at what you have done up until this point, then take a look around you. Instead of ignoring the "rubbies" on the street, try saying hello, or reaching deep into your pockets and give a dime, then think, that if there was a place to put that dime away then you wouldn't have to ignore them, because they would be somewhere else, they would have a place to go.
I jump of the jammed street car at Younge Street, right outside of the Eaton Centre and walk the rest off the way. Some days I walk down Younge, others I will travel up Queen St a bit and take Bay. Just as I turn the corner I see it, I see what I have been dreading all morning. I see the devastation, the homeless sleeping on their chosen grates that sit over the subway system. Asleep with a few personal belongings. This makes me want to cry. Here I am with money, designer shoes and purses walking my way to work and the whole time I took everything I did this morning for granted. Some people don't get to do these wonderful things we all hate.
All of a sudden I hear "excuse me miss, could you spare some change for a coffee?" although I am pleased to hand over the only 2 dollars in my expensive purse, I am angry because they are saving for drugs and booze and the words of my boyfreind ring in my head "Angela, dont give them any money" then I ask myself "what is wrong with this fucking country?" Why is it that 40 dollars a month can keep alive my sponsor child in Africa along with her Mother and 2 brothers, but 40 dollars in this country couldn't get you a hot meal, a pack of smokes and a ride to and from work?
I have watched everyone walk by these poor souls who have nothing and they give them nothing. I am sure a lot of you are saying "they have done it to themselves" and you are right, the probably have, but what is wrong with giving them another chance at a decent life? If anyone can find an answer it, then you aren't worth anything yourself and you have probably lost your soul. I want to purpose a "penny drive" I want there to be a place where people can take their useless pennies, to give someone a better life, maybe, just maybe if everyone in Toronto dropped off 50 cents in pennies, then there could be a funding for a shelter to give them a place to eat and clean themselves up. I know there are shelters out there they can go but as each year passes they get shut down due to lack of funding.
So as you are on your way to work in the morning, take a look at what you have done up until this point, then take a look around you. Instead of ignoring the "rubbies" on the street, try saying hello, or reaching deep into your pockets and give a dime, then think, that if there was a place to put that dime away then you wouldn't have to ignore them, because they would be somewhere else, they would have a place to go.
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