With the current Arctic Atmospheric Orca sending its blast across a vast part of the country, it occurred to me this morning that this is a mighty fine time to be inside.

A mighty fine time to have a furnace that works and insulated walls to help stall the loss of heat. A mighty fine time for cars that start and heaters that work. Layers of warm clothes accented by insulated gloves and boots. It’s a mighty fine time for being blessed with the things that make the difference between comfort and discomfort, pleasure and pain, living and not living.

And as I thought about that, I thought, “What a lousy time to be homeless.”

What a lousy time to be stuck outside, to be searching for a warmer box, a bigger barrel burning under a bridge, a safer place. What a lousy time to be broke, poor and hungry.

And as I thought about that, I wondered, “When is a good time to be homeless?”

Haven’t figured that one out yet.

H. Arnett
1/31/19