Hey Guest!
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
Sherlock
Yoda
Offline
Also posted on my Flickr site, thought I'd post it here too...
Today I headed downtown for awhile to cruise along Stephen Avenue with my camera. I was talking with a man after doing some street portraiture and Colleen exited Scotia Centre and called across to the “photographer man”, from which a conversation ensued. She is a homeless lady who I first met back in the spring, when I took a number of street portrait photos of her, also at that time we had quite a good chat.
Over the months since then I encounter her downtown from time and time and always try to take the time to greet her and chat for awhile, if she’s in the mood for it at least.
Well anyway, I did see her today (Christmas Eve) and talked with her for awhile. She is still homeless and dealing with issues (which I won’t discuss here, but you might be able to guess anyway). Today she was ranting about Christmas, and other people and how they are sometimes. I just listened and tried my best to be a sounding board.
Then as I sat in the Christmas Eve church service this evening, we were reminded that the offerings were going entirely toward the Mustard Seed street ministry, which made me think once again of my chat with Colleen earlier. And also reminded me of many encounters I have had with homeless people over this past year, including a man named Roy who I spent some time with recently (out of respect I didn’t take his photo). But I did sit down on a bench, talked to him a little, and mostly just listened to his story and his struggles.
As imperfect as my Christmas celebrations this year will be, I have to count my blessings for all the good things happening in my life. I would encourage you to do the same, and say a prayer for those who don’t have a place to call home this year.
This photo here? I didn’t take Colleen’s photo today, actually I haven’t taken her photo since St. Patrick’s Day, this is another photo from that day, one I haven’t posted yet.
Today I headed downtown for awhile to cruise along Stephen Avenue with my camera. I was talking with a man after doing some street portraiture and Colleen exited Scotia Centre and called across to the “photographer man”, from which a conversation ensued. She is a homeless lady who I first met back in the spring, when I took a number of street portrait photos of her, also at that time we had quite a good chat.
Over the months since then I encounter her downtown from time and time and always try to take the time to greet her and chat for awhile, if she’s in the mood for it at least.
Well anyway, I did see her today (Christmas Eve) and talked with her for awhile. She is still homeless and dealing with issues (which I won’t discuss here, but you might be able to guess anyway). Today she was ranting about Christmas, and other people and how they are sometimes. I just listened and tried my best to be a sounding board.
Then as I sat in the Christmas Eve church service this evening, we were reminded that the offerings were going entirely toward the Mustard Seed street ministry, which made me think once again of my chat with Colleen earlier. And also reminded me of many encounters I have had with homeless people over this past year, including a man named Roy who I spent some time with recently (out of respect I didn’t take his photo). But I did sit down on a bench, talked to him a little, and mostly just listened to his story and his struggles.
As imperfect as my Christmas celebrations this year will be, I have to count my blessings for all the good things happening in my life. I would encourage you to do the same, and say a prayer for those who don’t have a place to call home this year.
This photo here? I didn’t take Colleen’s photo today, actually I haven’t taken her photo since St. Patrick’s Day, this is another photo from that day, one I haven’t posted yet.
