I'm back, my head is full of stories, ups and downs, and they are long at times and they are painful. They are joy filled stories and they keep me plooding along in the trenches. The last time I wrote was April 2012, hard to believe I even wrote that long, but now, I know writing saves me.
Running and starting a non profit isn't easy, keeping it running isn't easy, I heard a statistic that most Non profits crumble after 3 years, well I can see why now, but that will NOT happen here. Not today. There is so much work to be done, people to meet, houses to fill and give to families who qualify. What is taking so long? I want to share some of our stories, that you may not have heard.
Yesterday, we have a home that is close to 100 years old, the HVAC was being replaced,($8000) last month, same home a broken water pipe from the city meter tour house of course...! More cash. I decided to walk downtown while the guys were working, I talked to the tennant, who is really a great friend, he agreed he would help watch the car, while I went downtown. The last thing he said to me when I got back, was "I cannot believe you, a white woman, would walk 8 miles, through the worst part of town, not be scared, and not be afraid."
I thought about that as I was walking, I wasn't afraid, I had friends yell out to me..."Ms. Cassie, why are you walking?" Just walking. So happy to be there, and realizing my friends WALK everywhere, everyday! I look at it as: "Oh goody" I'm gonna TRY to walk 8 miles today, they are doomed into walked 8 or more miles everyday. What I call exercise, is life for most in the city without cars, bikes, or bus fare.
I walked by so many beautiful churches, empty buildings, empty warehouses, and I walked by many homeless spots, where feces was present, cardboard was waiting for another night. The cardboard keeps the ground cold from seeping into your bones, or the bugs from easy access. These spots were a little hidden, not too much, because I stayed on the sidewalk. I noticed police walking around, like at any MOMENT, there would be a HUGE disruption, walked right past me, didn't speak. I need to teach classes on kindness. If I didn't speak yesterday(I was listening to music) I SMILED BIG, and you knew I was smiling at YOU! My friends smiled back, most. In fact I was on 3rd ave, coming back home, waving like Princess Diana to families on their porches, and I rolled my ankle, the side walk is NOT level. Something that Wyndham never experiences. I really enjoyed my walk, but my heart was so angry at ALL the delapedated, blighted empty homes in the city, something we as "suburban haves" would NEVER tolerate. These empty homes cause so much danger, fires, loss of lives, squatting, unpaid taxes, risks to passerbys. I saw one home with bricks on the roof...i was wondering..."what in the world?, Who would heave bricks on the roof"...silly me, the chimney had collapsed. At any moment, those bricks will fall off and nail someone in the head, they will probaby die, who is at fault? People are and can sue for anything, but when a brick falls on your head as you are walking on the sidewalk...who is at fault? NOT THE CITY! YOu cannot sue the city, we have tried. It is so hard to see the INJUSTICE of the HAVE NOTS and JUST because we have "money" we are considered the "haves." We just pick up our fancy phone, and let the "county" know, there is some stuff going on next door and I WANT IT TAKEN CARE OF! Heartache in the city, what can YOU do? What can I do more, I have done very little.
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