Offering It Up

Posted By Wes on October 9, 2008

I moved the previous post from my old blog (I am reconfiguring my whole web site over the next 30 years or so.) I received the following comment:

1 just me // Oct 7, 2008 at 11:30 pm

Mr. Cowley,

Your comments affected me very much. I met Willam Alan King more than 25yrs ago thru my now former husband. My husband grew up with Bill and was a good friend until alcoholism took over Bill’s life . When I knew him, he was tall, attractive and outgoing. He lived with his aging mother on Cleveland Heights Blvd. Bill appeared to be somewhat successful in his business of resurfacing tennis courts until he lost his license assumingly from a DUI conviction. It is my understanding that Bill’s decline began in his late twenties when his only sibling, a brother, chose to end his life. Bill’s drinking increased as did his aggressiveness . Over the years I have seen Bill walking along S. Fla Ave or Harden Blvd and always felt sad for what he had become. Your blog and perception of Bill as a homeless bum opened my eyes to my own perception of the nameless faces I pass and label bum …..Surely those people were once the Bill King that I met so many years ago and perhaps they experienced a similar traumatic event that altered the course of their lives. Thank you for helping me see the humanity that I lost somewhere along the way.
Rest in peace Bill King .

The lady commenting hit exactly on my point for the post. We don’t really look at the homeless we see around our streets and when we do look, we see them as blemishes on our town, not as humans with wants and needs, people who once had hopes and dreams. Lakeland, Florida has several agencies working with the homeless, and for that reason we have a large population. The Talbot House is one of the best agencies, and being involved there, even on an limited basis, one can see the success and heartbreak in working with these people and their addictions and mental problems. There are successes, such as Alan, a recovering alcoholic who is in his second stay at the Talbot House. Alan is dry, sober, and is lectoring at our church. The Talbot House and having a church home has really helped Alan. But for every success there are many failures. The point is, one life saved, one person helped makes every effort worthwhile. That is the thought that has to carry the dedicated people working in this ministry.

Categories: Current Events, Homeless, Politics, Religion
Tags: Homeless, Religion