Dead Things
When I was in high school, I read the novel First Blood, which is the novel that the Rambo movies were based on. As is often the case, the movies were very unlike the book. In the novel, John Rambo,…
Hugh's Blog
Hopeful in spite of the facts
Hugh's Blog
Hopeful in spite of the facts
Category Resilience
The Cat with Magic Ears
It was the middle of July in 2016. I had just walked in the door from work. Renee was 11 months out from her heart transplant, and I was running a day shelter I had founded. It had been a…
The Giddiness of God
Tony is a Black man who lives on the edge of homelessness, with occasional bouts of sheltered living. Tony is also a gay man, but not completely out, largely due to concerns about his safety in the world he lives…
Grief Groceries
Hi Hugh, A friend died, and I want to be helpful to his wife, but I’m not sure what to do. I told her that if she needed anything to let me know. Of course, she thanked me, but it’s…
A Dark and Stormy Night
It was a dark and stormy night. I’ve always wanted to start a piece that way. Of course, I’m stealing it from Snoopy, who in his guise as a World Famous Author always began the story he was writing with…
Hey there
Hey there. Yes, you. How’s it going? I mean, for real? Yeah. Me too. It’s exhausting. All of it. Like, so many good things are happening, and new possibilities are opening up, and also the world is a damned dumpster…
I Know.
Hi there. Can we talk? I just wanted to check in. For some of you reading this right now, I know the stories about your decision to terminate your pregnancy. I know, because I was the person you called when…
Children and Ancestors
When I was doing homeless work, there were children everywhere. I knew children that lived in cars, who got cleaned up in gas station restrooms, and who wrote their school papers on old cellphones that were submitted using the wifi…
The Happiness of Lower Standards
A gift that ADHD brings is that, if it interests you (and granted, that is a huge precondition), you can bring near super-human powers of research to the table. And if it interests you, you can fall deep into a…
Imposter Syndrome
Once upon a time, I was considered a subject matter expert on issues surrounding homelessness. I would lecture at universities. I’ve spoken to crowds of 10,000 people, taught police departments, consulted with denominations, and had waged war with a mid-sized…