On the mornings I drive to work, I pass by a church's Food line.  As in, a line, I assume, offering food or maybe warm beverages to folks in need.  

One morning a while ago I saw a Woman nearby who looked not entirely at ease... she was standing and weaving and displaying signs of possibly not being entirely sober and I noticed what she was wearing and her outward appearance and it struck me how many aspects of my day to day life I really do take for granted.

I noticed that this woman was wearing leggings and I realized that if she is indeed unhoused.... where would she wash her clothing?  I hope/imagine there is a location in town for those in need but then she'd have to wait and try to find time whereas I just have to decide it's time for laundry, collect my change and hope no one else is using the industrial machines in the basement of my apartment building.  And if I'm unable to use them and *need* something washed?  I can use my sink... or bath... it's just all right there.

It got me really thinking about all the aspects of not having a home that I hadn't truly considered.  Sure, I think about them having to consider safety, food, warmth... but there are so many things that I hadn't thought of, like doing laundry... having clean clothes when you want or need them.  Bathing whenever you want or need.  I can't even compare it to camping because you CHOOSE to go camping and then you go home... 

And we often talk about how many of our unhoused folks are struggling with Mental Health and/or addictions and damn if that doesn't just make everything a thousand times more challenging.  I think of the days I've struggled, really struggled with my mental health in my clean, warm, safe, paid for apartment with food and water and a bed and electricity and the internet and and and and and and even with ALL of that, there have been days it's been hard to exist.  Days when filling out forms was just "too much".  What if those forms had to be filled out to apply for help or assistance or medical or housing by someone who that morning was struggling to stand upright, wearing uncleaned clothes and trying to get a free breakfast from the church before they ran out.  

I take my struggles for granted.  I am so incredibly lucky compared to so many of my fellow humans.  If I want to clean my leggings?  I just do it.  That's ridiculously simple when you stop to think about that woman I saw and how difficult it may be for her to do the same.

I am so lucky.  So lucky.