Seeing Deeper Than Current Circumstances

When you pass someone living on the street, what do you see? Too often, society reduces people to their circumstances: the homeless man, the woman with the cart, the person sleeping under the bridge. Their identity becomes defined by their struggle, rather than their story, their dreams, or their humanity.

But being unhoused is not who someone is, it’s a circumstance. Poverty and housing instability can happen to anyone. Many unhoused people once had stable jobs, families, and the same daily routines we take for granted. They are artists, veterans, caregivers, and thinkers... each with a lifetime of experiences that stretch far beyond their current situation.

Unfortunately, our society often criminalizes poverty instead of addressing its root causes. People without homes are ticketed for sleeping in public, fined for resting in parks, and sometimes even jailed for “loitering.” Imagine being punished for simply trying to exist when you have nowhere else to go. These laws don’t solve homelessness; they deepen it, trapping people in cycles of court dates, unpaid fines, and barriers to future housing or employment.

This is why shifting our lens is so important. When we see someone unhoused, we must resist the instinct to define them by the hardship we can observe. Instead, we can choose to recognize the resilience it takes to survive when the odds are stacked so heavily against them. We can see the courage it takes to keep going, the dignity that still exists within, and the potential that remains when a community chooses compassion over judgment.

Love is action.

Every person deserves to be seen, not dismissed. They deserve to be acknowledged as more than their struggle. Because when we see people for who they truly are: their creativity, humor, wisdom, and worth; we begin to dismantle the stereotypes that keep them marginalized. And when we see differently, we act differently. We offer kindness instead of avoidance, advocacy instead of silence, solutions instead of punishment.

The truth is, dignity can’t be given... it’s already there. But it can be ignored or it can be honored. Choosing to honor it begins with how we see each other.

Let us practice looking again, with open eyes and open hearts. The people we so often overlook have stories worth hearing, lives worth protecting, and futures worth investing in. And when we choose to see them in their fullness, not just their circumstance, we create a community that reflects the humanity in all of us.

How you can help: Volunteer with local organizations serving unhoused neighbors, speak out against policies that criminalize poverty, and take time to see people as more than their situation. If you’re looking for a place to start, SHARE Community is always welcoming people who want to serve, support, and stand with those who are too often unseen.

Love is action.