A Letter From The Heart

The other day my friend Poofy and I were talking about our homeless days and the days we shared in a shelter together. Even though we were at rock bottom we had a sense of family at that shelter and we were also able to have good times through the bad, laughter through the tears. We were able to do this through the hard work of some really special people.

I owe a special debt of gratitude to Hospitality House of Asheville; Calvary Shelter; Cyndi Smith, the program director for Calvary Shelter; and to Ms. Pat Bacon, the Minister of Calvary Presbyterian Church. The shelter itself was actually in the basement of her Church.

During my years of being homeless I had almost lost my very humanity. My dignity left on a park bench. My thirst for life itself was almost gone. I don't know what led me to these people but I am overwhelmingly grateful that I was. (Whoever or whatever led me there...Thank You!)

Cyndi Smith, with a heart the size of the sky, helped rekindle the small spark left in my soul and then helped me keep it alive, even through times when she really should have stomped the "far" out of me.

Ms. Pat is simply beyond words. In her soul I can see infinite infinities. I wish everyone could have her look in their eyes and hear her say, "Come here and let me hug that neck." Man...beyond words.

I also want to thank a caseworker named Frances who really went the extra mile with me. Without her I'm not sure I would be doing as well as I am now.

I'm telling you they're like angels on earth. They helped everyone that came through that shelter keep a part of themselves alive that might have otherwise died. We had a home though there was none. From my heart: Thank You...