Hundreds gathered for a Candlelight vigil this past Saturday
night in the small town of Berwick. The
public outpouring of grief wasn’t for an actor or pop star. It was for 62 year
old Harley Lawrence, a homeless man who died last week when the bus shelter he
was sleeping in caught, (was set?) on fire.
I might be a cynic….. okay I am a cynic, but I wonder
how over four hundred people who showed
up at Saturday’s vigil treated Harley when he was alive? I wonder if they spoke kind words when they
saw him outside the local Tim Horton’s or how they felt about him sleeping on
the bench in the shelter? It’s not as if
Berwick has a homeless problem; Harley was their homeless problem. And from all accounts, Harley Lawrence didn’t
want help, but everyone deserves kindness, and not just after their brutal
death. It’s easy to throw stones, and I
probably would have ignored Harley and perhaps questioned why the local
government didn’t do anything to address the homeless problem (that would be
Harley) in town.
So perhaps each of us needs to look around for the Harley
Lawrences in our lives and offer the kind words and thoughtful gestures before
it’s too late. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you
will have to attempt the impossible.
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